Abstract

Standard performance tests of information retrieval systems are based on measuring precision at fixed recall levels and averaging results over a large set of test topics. It has recently been demonstrated how seemingly equal average performance may obscure important differences between search methods. The in-depth analysis of individual queries is needed for revealing the hidden differences. This paper introduces the motivation, structure and functionality of a novel WWW-based information retrieval tool suitable for individual query analysis. The tool allows easy implementation of different interactive retrieval methods and contains new features for supporting rapid evaluation of the search results. Implementation of an effective dictionary-based method for cross-language information retrieval is presented as an example of the approach. Possible uses of the tool include exploring the effects of different query formulations at the level of individual queries and collecting user information.