INTRODUCTION:
My research topic area is about the concept of pragmatics and how this concept can be applied to any of the information retrieval systems for better results. Some of my research questions are as follows: * Is it possible to apply the concept of pragmatics to any of the search engine? * Is there any pragmatic search engine available at the moment? * What is the difference between the concept of pragmatic and semantic? * Is the concept of pragmatic better than that of the semantic for information retrieval?
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
Earlier most of the search engines were only focusing on keywords and mainly uses some kind of ranking algorithm. But now a day’s semantic search engines are more popular. They deal with the literal meaning of the words or sentences. Some of the semantic search engines are Hakia, Kosmix, Exalead, SenseBot, Cognition search, Lexxe, Swoogle, Factbites, Powerset, Cluuz, etc. Google is using semantic technology but is not yet a fully fledged semantic search engine. It does not use NLP. There are barriers that Google needs to overcome: * Is it capable of becoming fully semantic without modifying its index? * Can Google continue to keep the results simple and navigate for its varied user base? * Does Google intend to become a fully semantic search engine and to do so within a timescale will it damage their position and reputation?
Pragmatic deals with overall communicative and social context and its effect. But not much of a work is done in the area of how pragmatic can be used in information retrieval.
AIM:
To study the notion of pragmatics and see how it can be applied to any of the search engines for better information retrieval.
OBJECTIVES:
* To identify how the semantic search engines work. * To identify if it is possible to apply the knowledge of pragmatics to any of the search engine for better information retrieval.
INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE:
Identify some ways to use the concept of pragmatics for better information retrieval.
DELIVERABLES:
* Results of the experiments conducted.

RESOURCES:
Natural Language Processing software.
METHODS:
* Experiments * Case studies
REFERENCES:
9 Semantics search engines that will change the world of search by Arun Radhakrishnan, at http://www.searchenginejournal.com/semantic-search-engines/9832/ [accessed 20/11/2011].
Is Google a Semantic search engine? At http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/is_google_a_semantic_search_engine.php [accessed 21/11/2011].
Genre searching: a pragmatic approach to information retrieval by Luanne Freund at http://ir.dcs.gla.ac.uk/talks/slides/2008-09/2008-10-13%20Luanne%20Freund%20%28Genre%20searching%3A%20a%20pragmatic%20approach%20to%20information%20retrieval%29.pdf [accessed 23/11/2011].

Sparck K. and Willett P. (1997) Readings in Information Retrieval, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.

Azzopardi L., Kazai G. and Robertson S. (2009) Advances in Information Retrieval Theory, Springer,Germany.