Choices and constraints: research goals and approaches in information retrieval (part 1)

Diane Kelly, Filip Radlinski, Jaime Teevan

Abstract: All research projects begin with a goal, for instance to describe search behavior, to predict when a person will enter a second query, or to discover which IR system performs the best. Different research goals suggest different research approaches, ranging from field studies to lab studies to online experimentation. This tutorial will provide an overview of the different types of research goals, common evaluation approaches used to address each type, and the constraints each approach entails. Participants will come away with a broad perspective of research goals and approaches in IR, and an understanding of the benefits and limitations of these research approaches. The tutorial will take place in two independent, but interrelated parts, each focusing on a unique set of research approaches but with the same intended tutorial outcomes. These outcomes will be accomplished by deconstructing and analyzing our own published research papers, with further illustrations of each technique using the broader literature. By using our own research as anchors, we will provide insight about the research process, revealing the difficult choices and trade-offs researchers make when designing and conducting IR studies.