2009 OrdinaryImageRetrieval
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- (Ménard, 2009) ⇒ Elaine Ménard. (2009). “Ordinary Image Retrieval in a multilingual context: a comparison of two indexing vocabularies.” In: Proceedings of ISKO UK 2009 Conference.
Subject Headings: Image Retrieval Task, Controlled Vocabulary.
Notes
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Abstract
- Purpose: This paper examines image retrieval within two different contexts: a monolingual context where the language of the query is the same as the indexing language and a multilingual context where the language of the query is different from the indexing language. This study also compares two different approaches for the indexing of ordinary images representing common objects: traditional image indexing with the use of a controlled vocabulary and free image indexing using uncontrolled vocabulary.
- Design/methodology/approach: This research uses three data collection methods. An analysis of the indexing terms was employed in order to examine the multiplicity of term types assigned to images. A simulation of the retrieval process involving a set of 30 images was performed with 60 participants. The quantification of the retrieval performance of each indexing approach was based on the usability measures, that is, effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the user. Finally, a questionnaire was used to gather information on searcher satisfaction during and after the retrieval process.
- Findings: The results of this research are twofold. The analysis of indexing terms associated with all the
3,950 images provides a comprehensive description of the characteristics of the four non-combined indexing forms used for this study. Also, the retrieval simulation results offers information about the relative performance of the six indexing forms (combined and non-combined) in terms of their effectiveness, efficiency (temporal and human) and the image searcher’s satisfaction.
- Originality/value: The findings of this study suggest that in the near future, the information systems could benefit from allowing an increased coexistence of controlled vocabularies and uncontrolled vocabularies resulting from collaborative image tagging, for example, and giving the users the possibility to dynamically participate in the image indexing process, in a more user-centred way.
Current State of Image Indexing and Retrieval
- A subject heading list is “a controlled vocabulary of terms in natural language that are designed for both pre-coordination and post-coordination” (Chu, 2005). Among the popular general subject heading lists, we have the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), the Repertoire d’autorité-matière encyclopédique et alphabétique unifié (RAMEAU), the Canadian Subject Headings (CSH) and the Répertoire de Vedettes-Matière de l’Université Laval (RVM). Although there are many lists presently available, subject headings lists are not extensively used for image indexing (Jörgensen, 2003).
- Thesauri are controlled vocabularies created with terms extracted from the natural language and designed specifically for post-coordination searches. Thesauri help reduce problems caused by natural language such as polysemy and synonymy (Hudon, 2006). Thesauri can be monolingual or multilingual with several being presently used to describe digital images. For example, the Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) is a controlled vocabulary for describing and indexing cultural heritage. The AAT offers traditional thesaural relations (equivalence, hierarchical and associative) but also the semantic relations based on the logical relationships between the concepts, activities and objects. Another example of a commonly used thesaurus for indexing visual material is the Thesaurus for Graphic Materials (TGM). This thesaurus was originally developed for the Library of Congress to catalogue and identify any visual material (prints, photographs, drawings, moving images, etc.) whether it was part of a book, a manuscript or a visual collection.
- Finally, other documentary languages may be used for indexing images, including authority lists and visual dictionaries (Jörgensen, 2003). The major authority lists used for image indexing include the Union List of Artist Names (ULAN), the Authority File of the Library of Congress (LC), the controlled vocabularies of the American Library Association (ALA) and the Multilingual Glossary for Art Librarians of the International Federation of Library Associations
(IFLA). With regard to visual dictionaries, even if they may not be formally considered as controlled vocabularies due to their lack of hierarchical structure or equivalence, they can still be used to describe ordinary images. However, visual dictionaries offer two significant benefits for image indexing. First, unlike traditional dictionaries, which require that the user be first familiar with the words to be used, the illustrations contained in visual dictionaries directly provide keywords for an idea or an image. Second, this type of dictionary is often offered in a bilingual or multilingual format, which is rarely the case of most usual controlled vocabularies.
- In general, controlled vocabularies facilitate the indexing process and offer many advantages for retrieval, browsing and interoperability. Nevertheless, controlled vocabularies also present some weaknesses, the main one being that they often represent concepts in an artificial manner. Indeed, the indexing terms offered by controlled vocabularies generally have few linkages with the terms commonly used by the image searcher (Furnas et al., 1987). Another disadvantage of controlled vocabularies is that they quickly become obsolete and neologisms take a long time to enter controlled vocabularies. Finally, not only is the use of these vocabularies a complex task for most indexers, the most commonly used controlled vocabularies for indexing images are available only in English. Therefore, an indexer with little knowledge of English who wishes to use these vocabularies will face a significant language problem unless an effective translation mechanism is provided.
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| Author | volume | Date Value | title | type | journal | titleUrl | doi | note | year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 OrdinaryImageRetrieval | Elaine Ménard | Ordinary Image Retrieval in a multilingual context: a comparison of two indexing vocabularies | Proceedings of ISKO UK 2009 Conference | http://www.iskouk.org/conf2009/papers/menarde ISKOUK2009.pdf | 2009 |