Techniques for efficient query expansion

Abstract

Query expansion is a well-known method for improving average effectiveness in information retrieval. However, the most effective query expansion methods rely on costly retrieval and processing of feedback documents. We explore alternative methods for reducing queryevaluation costs, and propose a new method based on keeping a brief summary of each document in memory. This method allows query expansion to proceed three times faster than previously, while approximating the effectiveness of standard expansion. © 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.