Syracuse information retrieval experiment (SIRE): design of an on-line bibliographic retrieval system

Proponents of interactive online bibliographic retrieval systems frequently stress the potential of such systems to take advantage of both human and computer capabilities in the document retrieval process. Yet systems implemented to date have to a great extent placed constraints on both human and machine performance by decisions made at the design stage. To increase the flexibility of online systems, alternative modes of document representation, storage utilization, and query formulation should be considered.