ILM5320 - PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL

Module Identifier	ILM5320
Module Title	PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
Academic Year	2002/2003
Co-ordinator	Mr Michael A Lowe
Semester	Semester 1
Other staff	Mr Alan Wheatley
Course delivery	Lecture	15 Hours 15 lectures x 1 hour
	Seminars / Tutorials	4 Hours
	Practical	4 Hours 2 x 2 hrs
Assessment	Semester Assessment	Two part written assignment 2,500 words	50%
	Semester Assessment	essay 2,500 words	50%

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

discuss the structure and function of IR systems;
explain the role of index languages, indexing and searching in the retrieval process;
be prepared to proceed to the more specialized modules offered in Semester 2

Brief description

The development of this subject during the latter 19th and early 20th century was limited by the view that the problems to be solved were substantially those of the physical arrangement of books on library shelves. A classification scheme could achieve this, while a catalogue permitted other approaches to the stock. These methods continue to be used, but are now seen to be only part of the methods needed to retrieve information quickly and efficiently from libraries, databases and individual documents.

Your study of this subject will be taking into consideration three elements:

the body of traditional literature;
the vigorous development of information storage and retrieval since the 1950s, often with many competing theories and attitudes; and
the acknowledgement of the fact that the subject is not readily divisible into distinct topics; there is much inter-connection and overlap between the topics which this module presents to you in a week-by-week linear structure

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Consultation
Hunter, Eric, J. and Bakewell, K. G. B. (1991) Cataloguing. 3rd. London: Clive Bingley
Lancaster, F. W. (1998) Indexing and abstracting in theory and practice. 2nd. London: Library Association
Large, Andrew, Tedd, Lucy A. and Hartley, R. J. (1999) Information seeking in the online age: principles and practice. London: Bowker-Saur
Rowley, Jennifer, E. and Farrow, J. (2000) Organizing knowledge. 3rd. Aldershot: Gower