On modeling information retrieval with probabilistic inference

Abstract

This article examines and extends the logical models of information retrieval in the context of probability theory. The fundamental notions of term weights and relevance are given probabilistic interpretations. A unified framework is developed for modeling the retrieval process with probabilistic inference. This new approach provides a common conceptual and mathematical basis for many retrieval models, such as the Boolean, fuzzy set, vector space, and conventional probabilistic models. Within this framework, the underlying assumptions employed by each model are identified, and the inherent relationships between these models are analyzed. Although this article is mainly a theoretical analysis of probabilistic inference for information retrieval, practical methods for estimating the required probabilities are provided by simple examples.