Information Retrieval List Digest 040 (November 20, 1990) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/irld/irld-040 IRLIST Digest November 20, 1990 Volume VII, Number 34 Issue 40 ********************************************************** I. NOTICES A. Meetings announcements/Calls for papers 1. Update: AAAI-91 Workshop on "Natural Language Text Retrieval July 15, 1991 Anaheim, California 2. 54th ASIS Annual Meeting October 27-31, 1991 Washington, DC 3. 4th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Applications in Informatics November 13-15, 1991 Cancun, Mexico ********************************************************** I. NOTICES I.A.1. Fr: Ed Addison Re: Update: AAAI-91 Workshop on Re: "Natural Language Text Retrieval" July 15, 1991 Anaheim, California DESCRIPTION: This workshop will concentrate on state-of-the-art and next generation text retrieval software. In particular, there is a large gap between current systems and the goals of researchers. Most currently available text retrieval systems are based upon Boolean keyword and proximity searches and their derivatives. On the other hand, researchers in Natural Language Processing have tended to concentrate on far-reaching and difficult goals related to full text understanding. The 1990 Spring AI Symposium's session on Intelligent Text Based Systems further exposed and amplified differences among researchers in Information Retrieval (IR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). The hypothesis of this workshop will be that there exists a "middle ground" where an infusion of some of the current NLP theory into text retrieval systems can make the next evolutionary advance in practical text retrieval systems. This next advance may include such techniques as phrase parsing coupled with Boolean searches over phrases (rather than words), word sense disambiguation by a combination of syntactic analysis and collocation statistics, conceptual indexing techniques, improved methods of text tagging, etc. The purpose of the workshop is to identify suitable compromises and useful next generation techniques without waiting for major advances in full text understanding. STRUCTURE: The workshop will last one full day. A subset of the participants will be asked to speak, but all participants should plan on active participation in discussions. Both research and product development expertise are sought, covering both IR and NLP approaches to text retrieval. SUBMISSIONS: Each prospective participant should submit the following three items by March 1, 1991 (preferably by E-MAIL): (1) Your name, organization, title and contact information; (2) A one paragraph description of your most significant experience in developing text retrieval software (IR or NLP approach); and (3) a 2 to 3 page position paper on an important current issue in text retrieval software. Special emphasis should be given to near term technology transfer rather than long term research issues. Submissions will be used to select up to 50 participants and up to 15 speakers and compile a workshop proceedings. All E-MAIL submissions should be sent to nltr@cs.umbc.edu. Submit 6 hardcopies to Edwin Addison at the address below only if E-MAIL is not available to you. Workshop Co-Chairmen: Edwin R. Addison, President James Mayfield, Asst. Professor Synchronetics, Inc. Computer Science Dept 3700 Koppers St. University of Maryland Suite 131 5401 Wilkens Ave. Baltimore, MD 21227 Baltimore, MD 21228-5398 (301) 644-2400 (301) 455-3099 76366.1115@compuserve.com mayfield@umbc3.umbc.edu Additional Members of the Organizing Committee: Paul Jacobs, General Electric Carl Frappaolo, Executive Vice President, Delphi Consulting Group Ed Fox, Virginia Tech Paul E. Nelson [NOTE: Two members to be added. Inquire by December 15, 1990]. Important Dates: March 1, 1991 -- Initial Submission; April 15, 1991 -- Notification May 15, 1991 -- Photoready Notes July 15, 1991 -- Workshop ********** I.A.2. Fr: Nicholas J. Belkin Re: 54th ASIS Annual Meeting Revised Paper Submission Date: February 15, 1991 Systems People October 27-31, 1991 Washington, DC As the information society and its implications and consequences become more fully realized, people find themselves in ever increasing interaction with information systems. In educational settings, workplace, home, public information utilities such as libraries, and in many other aspects of everyday life, people interact with, are affected by and have a rising dependency on information systems. The issue of widespread systems dependency becomes increasingly important as alternatives disappear. Information systems now must be relied upon not only in the physical sense, but also in terms of the systems' intentions and trustworthiness. We hope the intentions of such information systems are to make life better for the users and to facilitate a better society for all. However, interpreting the goals of "a better life" or "a better society" depends upon an understanding of what "better" means to all those affected, and on understanding how they are, could, or will be impacted by the systems. There are a number of obstacles to the goals of a better life or society: political, social, technical and human. One important characteristic of such obstacles is a lack of understanding; a means of overcoming them is understanding. The extent to which information systems are understood by users is related to the acceptance of the system. Conversely, the extent to which information systems, in design and operation, understand their users, relates to their effectiveness and acceptability to users. The issue of understanding is crucial to the success of information systems and of information scientists in realizing the personal, corporate and societal goals which we hold for information systems. The theme, then, of the 54th ASIS Annual Meeting is: people understanding information systems and information systems understanding people. What constitutes such understanding? What kinds of understanding are necessary, desirable, appropriate and possible? How such understanding can be achieved? These questions urgently need answers, and which will be specifically addressed at this meeting. SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions are encouraged that address these questions of understanding among information systems and the people who interact with them at any relevant level: political, social, technical or personal. Sample topic areas include, but are not limited to: Human: * Users of information systems and their goals * Cognitive behavior in information systems * Explanation and understanding * Uses of information Technical: * Intelligent information retrieval * User modelling in information systems * User-centered design for information systems * Transparency and explanation in information systems Social: * Collaborative work and information systems * Participatory design for information systems * Information systems and workplace democracy Political: * Interaction of information system development and policy objectives * The role of understanding in the privacy versus access debate TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS/PROPOSALS Contributions to the meeting will be of two kinds: papers contributed by individuals, which will be refereed and organized into sessions by the technical program committee; and SIG sessions which will be on topics proposed by ASIS Special Interest Groups individually or in collaboration with one another, or with other organizations. CONTRIBUTED PAPERS Full-length contributed papers, of a maximum of about 20 pages, and including an abstract of up to 250 words, should be sent to the Contributed Papers Chair, Professor Jose-Marie Griffiths, at the address below, to arrive no later than 15 February 1991. These papers will be strictly refereed, and must be original contributions which have not been published elsewhere, since they will be published in the Proceedings of the Meeting. Correspondence concerning contributed papers should be directed to Professor Griffiths. Contributed papers, the envelopes clearly marked: "ASIS 1991 Contributed Paper", should be sent to: Gerri Littlejohn Graduate School of Library and Information Science University of Tennessee 804 Volunteer Boulevard Knoxville, TN 37996-4330 Attn: Jose-Marie Griffiths tel: (615) 974-7908 fax: (615) 974-8546 SIG SESSIONS Initial proposals for SIG sessions, should be sent to the SIG Sessions Chair, Professor Candy Schwartz, at the address below, to arrive no later than 21 December 1990. Proposals for SIG sessions should include a description of the topic, person(s) responsible for the session (with address, phone and email), potential contributors and collaborating organizations. The Technical Program Committee will help in coordination of joint SIG sessions, will advise on appropriate topics, and will referee the submissions. SIG session proposers will be notified of the status of their submissions by 18 January, and final SIG session descriptions will be due on 27 March 1991. Correspondence concerning SIG sessions should be directed to Professor Schwartz. SIG Session proposals should be sent to: Professor Candy Schwartz ASIS '91 SIG Program Chair Simmons College 300 The Fenway Boston, MA 02115 email: schwartz@bab.bitnet tel: (617) 738-2223 COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Because of the broad range of the theme of ASIS '91, we encourage and welcome participation in this meeting by other organizations. People and organizations interested in such collaboration and/or contributions should contact the Collaborating Organizations Chair: Ellen Sleeter Davis Polk & Wardell 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza New York, NY 10005 email: sleeter@dpw.com tel: (201) 494-5675 fax: (212) 530-4800 SPECIAL SESSIONS PROPOSALS Ideas for special events and innovative types of sessions should be directed to the Technical Program Chair: Professor Nicholas J. Belkin ASIS '91 Technical Program Chair School of Communication, Information & Library Studies Rutgers University 4 Huntington Street New Brunswick, NJ 08903 email: belkin@zodiac.rutgers.edu tel: (908) 932-8585 fax: (908) 932-6916 Members of the ASIS '91 Technical Program Committee Nicholas J. Belkin, Technical Program Chair Rutgers University Jose-Marie Griffiths, Contributed Papers and Proceedings Chair University of Tennessee Nancy Roderer, Plenary Speakers Chair Columbia University Health Sciences Library Candy Schwartz, SIG Program Chair Simmons College Ellen Sleeter, Collaborating Organizations Chair Davis Polk & Wardell Trudi Bellardo, Catholic University Christine Borgman, UCLA Anne Buck, Bellcore Bonnie Carroll, Information International W. Bruce Croft, University of Massachusetts Jeff Katzer, Syracuse University Gary Marchionini, University of Maryland Charles Meadow, University of Toronto David Penniman, AT&T Bell Laboratories Phil Smith, Ohio State University ********** I.A.3. Fr: Centro de Inteligencia Artificial (ITESM)