Information Retrieval Visualization (IRVIS)
The IRVIS project is concerned with researching and applying new ways to
present retrieved text-based information from a single search across a
variety of sources. This includes the problem of organizing data into
logical domains of information as well as the provision of tools that
allow a user to specify organizational parameters that make the most
sense to the task at hand.
Although domains can always be represented by text lists, if the purpose
and/or source of the information is unfamiliar, it is nearly impossible
to extract the meaningful results from retrieval sets that include
thousands of entries. The IRVIS project focuses on using information
visualization and data mining techniques to provide alternatives that
will facilitate the understanding and navigation of those results.
According to the lead editorial in the first issue of the journal, Information
Visualization, this field is an interdisciplinary, newly emerging area
of study focusing on "finding meaningful and intuitive ways to represent
non-spatial and non-numerical information to people." [Chen, 2002]
Data mining is a phrase used to describe database applications that
identify relationships (usually previously unidentified) between or
among retrieved sets of objects, without changing the actual
presentation of the information. The National Library of Medicine
supports a wide variety of text-based data and the Gateway is uniquely
(within the NLM) positioned to provide a platform for research in
combining the two disciplines, information visualization and data mining.
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