This book takes a unique approach to information retrieval by laying down the foundations for a modern algebra of information retrieval based on lattice theory. All major retrieval methods developed so far are described in detail, along with Web retrieval algorithms, and the author shows that they all can be treated elegantly in a unified formal way, using lattice theory as the one basic concept. The book¿s presentation is characterized by an engineering-like approach.
From the reviews: "... this book offers a unique approach to the important topic of information retrieval by providing mathematical foundations based on modern algebra... I can easily recommend this book as a reference for any of the technical IR courses offered at several universities." from the ACM Reviews by Donald H. Kraft, Louisiana State University, USA "Retrieval methods and information retrieval in general are here treated in a unified manner within abstract algebraic structures ... . Each chapter is supplemented with exercises and problems (with hints to solutions in the appendix) ... . The book is beneficial both for better understanding the existing information retrieval methods and for the creation of new ones." (Antonín Ríha, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1149, 2008) "This book treats retrieval methods ... and IR in general in a unified manner within the one formal framework of modern algebra, namely abstract algebraic structures (primarily lattices). ... Exercises and problems are located at the end of every chapter ... . the book should be helpful for a wide range of readers from graduate students and educators to researchers and system developers coming from a variety of fields such as computer science ... . Every chapter concludes with a References and further reading section." (John S. Griffin, SIGACT News, Vol. 41 (1), 2010)