Visualization for Information Retrieval

The amount of digitized information available on the Internet, in digital libraries, and other forms of information systems grows at an exponential rate, while becoming more complex and more dynamic. As a consequence, information organization, information retrieval and the presentation of retrieval results have become more and more difficult.

Information visualization offers a unique method to reveal hidden patterns and contextual information in a visual presentation and allows users to seek information in an intuitive way. Jin Zhang provides a systematic explanation of the latest advancements in information retrieval visualization from both theoretical and practical perspectives. He reviews the main approaches and techniques available in the field, explains theoretical relationships between information retrieval and information visualization, and presents major information retrieval visualization algorithms and models. He then takes a detailed look at the theory and applications of information retrieval visualization for Internet traffic analysis, and Internet information searching and browsing. The author also addresses challenges such as ambiguity, metaphorical applications, and system evaluation in information retrieval visualization environments. Finally, he compares these information retrieval visualization models from the perspectives of visual spaces, semantic frameworks, projection algorithms, ambiguity, and information retrieval, and discusses important issues of information retrieval visualization and research directions for future exploration.

Readers of this book will gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of information retrieval visualization. They will be introduced to existing problems for researchers and professionals, along with technical and theoretical findings and advances made by leading researchers. The book also provides practical details for the implementation of an information retrieval visualization system.

From the reviews:

"This book is another in the Springer information retrieval series, aimed at the academic market. … Zhang provides a guide across the field of visualisation that is comprehensive, extensive and knowledgeable to a target audience of researchers and specialists in the field. … I found Zhang’s book well structured, comprehensive, clear and interesting. … I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It is a useful summary of the field, and is broad and comprehensive." (Andrew Neill, Informer, Issue 28, Autumn, 2008)

"The book offers a comprehensive and systematic review of all the methodologies and procedures developed in the area of information retrieval visualization ... [It] should be very useful to anyone who wishes to get a comprehensive account of the advances in the area of information retrieval visualization." (from the ACM Reviews by Lefteris Angelis, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece)