Relevance Thresholds: A Conjunctive/Disjunctive Model of End-User Cognition as an Evaluative Process

This investigation identifies end-user cognitive heuristics that facilitate judgment and evaluation during information retrieval (IR) system interactions. The study extends previous research surrounding relevance as a key construct for representing the value end-users ascribe to items retrieved from IR systems and the perceived effectiveness of such systems. The Lens Model of user cognition serves as the foundation for design and interpretation of the study; earlier research in problem solving, decision making, and attitude formation also contribute to the model and analysis. A self reporting instrument collected evaluative responses from 32 end-users related to 1432 retrieved items in relation to five characteristics of each item: topical, pertinence, utility, systematic, and motivational levels of relevance. The nominal nature of the data collected led to non-parametric statistical analyses that indicated that end-user evaluation of retrieved items to resolve an information problem at hand is most likely a multi-stage process. That process appears to be a cognitive progression from topic to meaning (pertinence) to functionality (use). Each step in end-user evaluative processing engages a cognitive hierarchy of heuristics that includes consideration (of appropriate cues), differentiation (the positive or negative aspects of those cues considered), and aggregation (the combination of differentiated cue aspects needed to render an evaluative label of the item in relation to the information problem at hand). While individuals may differ in their judgments and evaluations of retrieved items, they appear to make those decisions by using consistent heuristic approaches.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2000

Author dc:creator

• Greisdorf, Howard F.

Contributors dc:contributor

• O'Connor, Brian Clark
• Schamber, Linda
• Spink, Amanda
• Young, Jon I.

• Information retrieval.
• Relevance.
• Critical thinking.
• information retrieval
• pertinence
• relevance
• judgment
• evaluation

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Greisdorf, Howard F.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 47734089
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2717/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2717

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2717