What We Talk About When We Talk About Information Retrieval

The field of information retrieval (IR) is typically defined, in a variety of different wordings, as concerned with retrieval of documents that satisfy an information need. In this essay, I argue that these definitions are inaccurate, fail to capture major threads of activity in IR research, and in particular are flawed because they omit the element of human participation in the retrieval process. After outlining some perspectives to consider in formulating better definitions, I offer an option, as an illustration of how the field might be presented; this option is centred on the purpose of IR, namely, support of cognition. There is an obvious need for a clear statement of the purpose of the discipline: information access is recognized as a human right and IR is the basis of a critical technology for providing that access -- one that is deeply intertwined with daily life and is changing human psychology. Well-grounded descriptions can encourage IR researchers to embrace a view of the field that enables richer connection with other disciplines, and should embody a vision of what IR research can accomplish.