Formal Foundation of Information Retrieval

In any information retrieval system, retrieval is based on some formal model. Apart from a few − non-classical − models (which are relatively newer), every other model ultimately relies on two basic models: vector space, and probabilistic (two early and classical models). Hence the vector space and probabilistic models are of a fundamental importance, and thus a unified formal definition for them would allow for working out a unified, coherent and consistent formal framework (mathematical theory), as a foundation, for IR. The paper shows that such foundations can be elaborated.