Extended Boolean Information Retrieval

Abstract

A new, extended Boolean information-retrieval system is introduced that is intermediate between the Boolean system of query processing and the vector-processing model. The query structure inherent in the Boolean system is preserved, while at the same time weighted terms may be incorporated into both queries and stored documents; the retrieved output can also be ranked in strict similarity order with the user queries. A conventional retrieval system can be modified to make use of the extended system. Laboratory tests indicate that the extended system produces better retrieval output than either the Boolean or the vector-processing system. © 1983, ACM. All rights reserved.