A survey on information re-finding techniques

an article by Tangjian Deng and Ling Feng (Tsinghua University, Beijing) published in International Journal of Web Information Systems Volume 7 Issue 4 (2011)

Abstract

Purpose
Observing that people re-access what they have seen or used in the past is very common in real lives. The purpose of this paper is to review the subject of information re-finding comprehensively, and introduce to readers the underlying techniques and mechanisms used in information re-finding.
Design/methodology/approach
After analysing users’ information re-finding behaviours and their requirements, the paper studies the natural way of re-finding in human memory, and reviews state-of-the-art techniques and tools developed in the fields of web and personal information management for information re-finding.
Findings
Four main re-finding support techniques on the Web are:

• re-finding tools in Web browsers; 
• history service; 
• re-finding search engine; and 
• voice-based re-finding.

Three main re-finding approaches are used in PIM: browse-based approaches; content-based search; and context-based search.
Practical implications
Following the recalling mechanisms in human memory, the method of recall-by-context in both fields of web usage and personal information management can make users feel easy to re-find information.
Originality/value
The paper gives a comprehensive overview of information re-finding techniques.

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