The use of hierarchic clustering in information retrieval

Abstract We introduce information retrieval strategies which are based on automatic hierarchic clustering of documents. We discuss the evaluation of retrieval strategies and show, using a subset of the Cranfield Aeronautics document collection, that cluster-based retrieval strategies can be devised which are as effective as linear associative retrieval strategies and much more efficient. Finally, we outline how cluster-based retrieval may be extended to large growing document collections and indicate some ways in which the effectiveness of cluster-based retrieval strategies may be improved.

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