The History Of Information Retrieval Research By M. Sanderson And W. B Croft Critical Analysis

This essay is concerned with critically analysing the work “The History of Information Retrieval Research” by M. Sanderson and W.B Croft. The writing being analysed here acts as a timeline for how information retrieval systems developed from “pre-history” (1) up until the 1990’s, and speculates the future of such tools. While tracing this evolution, Sanderson and Croft explain the various factors which influenced the particular way in which information retrieval systems have matured. Considering the length, language style and level of detail, this work is most appropriate as an introductory tool for students attempting to develop a grounding in information retrieval systems.
In charting the development of information retrieval systems, Sanderson
In doing so, this essay will examine the effectiveness of said paradigm on delineating these events, and suggest how a mixed method approach may have positively expanded the scope of the work. Much of Sanderson and Croft is concerned with tracing the development of information retrieval systems, rather than arguing for or against some issue. However, this critical analysis would argue that the topics are engaged with through quantitative research method based on a number of factors.
Firstly, the focus of this work is “the algorithms that take a user’s query and retrieve a set of relevant documents” (1). This indicates that the information retrieval timeline is being guided by the evolution quantifiable formulas, as opposed to data from qualitative methods such as interviews or surveys querying the effect such tools may have had upon the experience of library workers and
Firstly, by outlining the progression of information retrieval systems it is revealed that the current embodiment of the tool was not a foregone conclusion. “The need for an IR system occurs when a collection reaches a size where traditional cataloguing techniques can no longer cope” (1) This quote highlights the impetus for creating an information system, however, these motivations also inspired competition between multiple information retrieval tools and techniques. Once again, Sanderson and Croft utilise quantitative data to analyse and explain why one tool superseded another tool, which is another example of an area that qualitative data could also have contributed