Knowra Information retrieval Information retrieval Information retrieval is the process of finding relevant information in collections of documents or other data. Search systems typically represent queries and items, then rank results by estimated relevance.
Inverted index : A data structure that maps terms to the documents containing them. It lets search systems find documents containing query terms without scanning every document.
Information need : A person's underlying requirement for information, which may be broader or less precise than a search query. Retrieval begins with an information need that the query only approximates.
Web search engine : A system that discovers, indexes, and ranks web pages in response to queries. Web search applies retrieval at enormous scale across linked, frequently changing pages.
Boolean retrieval : A retrieval model that uses Boolean operators to select documents satisfying logical combinations of terms. It returns documents meeting exact logical conditions rather than ranking them by graded relevance.
Search engine bias : Systematic distortions in search results caused by ranking design, data, incentives, or user interactions. Ranking choices determine which information becomes prominent and which remains difficult to find.
TF–IDF : A statistical weighting scheme that scores terms by their frequency in a document and rarity across a collection. It estimates which query terms best distinguish a document from the collection.
Query expansion : A technique that adds terms or concepts to a search query to improve retrieval. Expansion can bridge vocabulary gaps between a query and relevant documents.
Enterprise search : Search across an organization's internal documents, databases, and other information systems. It adapts retrieval to private collections, access controls, and organizational terminology.
Semantic search : Search that matches the meaning or intent of queries and documents, not only shared words. It can retrieve conceptually related material even when query and document vocabulary differ.
Fairness in information retrieval : The study and design of retrieval systems that distribute access and exposure equitably across groups. Ranking can affect visibility for both people seeking information and groups represented in results.
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