An Ostensive Browsing and Searching on the Web

Abstract. The ostensive model assumes that a user’s information need is dynamic and developing, thus, a recently accessed object can be seen as more indicative to the current information need. The model has been proved to be effective in image retrieval. This paper investigates the effectiveness of an ostensive model applied to web retrieval, where query-biased sentences are used to implicitly capture an underlying information need and to support a user’s browsing of search results. Our study suggests that the sentence-based approach to an ostensive browsing is promising to facilitate an effective exploration of search results.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: CONTEXT
• Authors: Hideo Joho, Robert D. Birbeck, Joemon M. Jose
• Keywords: CONTEXT 2007, Information Management, Information Need, Ostensive Model, User’s Information Need