Feedback
A concept from
cybernetics. Feedback is a process whereby some
proportion of the output signal of a system is 'fed back' to the input in order
to control the subsequent output and thus the dynamic behavior of the system.
A simple example
is a thermostat (temperature regulator). An associated thermometer measure the
temperature in the room. If the temperature is too low a signal is sent which
turns up the heat until the specified temperature is reached. The signal from
the thermometer represents feedback from the system.
In information retrieval may feed-back
from users be used to regulate the output. The user evaluates the retrieved
references from a given query in order to produce a more satisfactory output.
(See
Spink & Losee, 1996).
The concept of feedback is also used in a broader meaning, for example, about libraries adapting themselves to the needs of their users.
Literature:
Salton, G. & McGill,
M. J. (1983). Introduction to Modern Information
Retrieval. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Spink, A. & Losee, R. M. (1996). Feedback in information retrieval. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 31, 33-78.
Birger Hjørland
Last edited: 31-03-2006