Study of interactive feedback during mediated information retrieval

Feedback is a fundamental concept within the physical and the social sciences with its modern origins drawn from cybernetics. Information science is exploring feedback as a key component in the interactive model of information retrieval (IR). This article reports results from a study exploring the information retrieval and types of interactive feedback during mediated IR. Five different types of interactive feedback were identified, extending the interactive IR model to include relevance, magnitude, and strategy interactive feedback. Implications for further research investigating the nature and models of interactive feedback in information retrieval are discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.