Improving full text search performance through textual analysis

The increased availability of full text databases has given rise to a number of retrieval problems, resulting from the ambiguities in natural language. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of text analysis as a tool in full text search and design improvement. A trial analysis was performed in a selected domain, family history literature, and search and design recommendations were then developed from the findings. The findings included information specific to name searching, along with article length and graphical data. Surprisingly, life event terms (e.g., birth year or marriage state), which are commonly used terms in name searches, occurred in the trial text relevant to less than a third of the sampled persons. This suggests that the higher frequency personal name terms (e.g., the subject's name or father's name) should be searched instead. Differences in male versus female search term patterns also occurred, suggesting gender-specific search strategies. There was a low incidence of pedigree charts in the literature, a finding of potential use in design. All of the findings offered insights into possible gains and losses in using one search or design strategy versus another, with strong evidence provided as to the potential of text analysis in full text search and design improvement.