Wanted: Element Retrieval Users

Document centric information retrieval is used every day by people all over the world. It is an application well studied, well understood, and of which there is a sound user model. Element retrieval, on the other hand, is a new field of research, with no identified applications, no users, and without a user model. Some of the methodological issues in element retrieval are identified. The standard document collection (the INEX / IEEE collection) is shown to be unsuitable for element retrieval, and the question is raised – does such a suitable collection exist? Some characteristics of querying behavior are identified, and the question raised – will users ever use structural hints in their queries? Examining the judgments and metrics, it is shown that the judgments are inconsistent and the metrics do not measure the same things. It is suggested that identifying an application of element retrieval could resolve some of these issues. Aspects of the application could (and should) be modeled, resulting is a more sound field of element retrieval. Alternatively, whatever it is, users don’t want it, judges can’t judge it, and the metrics can’t measure it.