White HD, Combining bibliometrics, information retrieval, and relevance theory, Part 1: First examples of a synthesis, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 58 (4): 536-559 FEB 15 2007

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: whitehd at drexel.edu 

Author(s): White, HD (White, Howard D.) 

Title: Combining bibliometrics, information retrieval, and relevance 
theory, Part 1: First examples of a synthesis 

Source: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY, 58 (4): 536-559 FEB 15 2007 
Language: English
 
Document Type: Article 
Cited Reference Count: 77              Times Cited: 1


Abstract: In Sperber and Wilson's relevance theory (RT), the ratio 
Cognitive Effects/Processing Effort defines the relevance of a 
communication. The tf*idf formula from information retrieval is used to 
operationalize this ratio for any item co-occurring with a user-supplied 
seed term in bibliometric distributions. The tf weight of the item 
predicts its effect on the user in the context of the seed term, and its 
idf weight predicts the user's processing effort in relating the item to 
the seed term. The idf measure, also known as statistical specificity, is 
shown to have unsuspected applications in quantifying interrelated 
concepts such as topical and nontopical relevance, levels of user 
expertise, and levels of authority. A new kind of visualization, the 
pennant diagram, illustrates these claims. The bibliometric distributions 
visualized are the works cocited with a seed work (Moby Dick), the authors 
cocited with a seed author (White HD, for maximum interpretability), and 
the books and articles cocited with a seed article (S.A. 
Harter's "Psychological Relevance and Information Science," which 
introduced RT to information scientists in 1992). Pennant diagrams use 
bibliometric data and information retrieval techniques on the system side 
to mimic a relevance-theoretic model of cognition on the user side. 
Relevance theory may thus influence the design of new visual information 
retrieval interfaces. Generally, when information retrieval and 
bibliometrics are interpreted in light of RT, the implications are rich: A 
single sociocognitive theory may serve to integrate research on literature-
based systems with research on their users, areas now largely separate. 

Addresses: Drexel Univ, Coll Informat Sci & Technol, Philadelphia, PA 
19104 USA 

Reprint Address: White, HD, Drexel Univ, Coll Informat Sci & Technol, 
Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA. 

E-mail Address: whitehd at drexel.edu 

Publisher: JOHN WILEY & SONS INC, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN, NJ 07030 US

ISSN: 1532-2882 

Subject Category: Computer Science, Information Systems; Information 
Science & Library Science 

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Publisher: JOHN WILEY & SONS INC, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN, NJ 07030 US

ISSN: 1532-2882 

Subject Category: Computer Science, Information Systems; Information 
Science & Library Science