Lexicon Based Retrieval

Lexicon-based retrieval focuses on retrieving information by matching words or phrases in queries with those in a document collection, aiming for efficient and robust text retrieval. Current research emphasizes enhancing this approach by integrating neural methods, such as transformer networks, to improve semantic understanding and address limitations in handling abstract semantic associations and out-of-domain queries. This is leading to the development of hybrid models that combine the strengths of lexicon-based and dense retrieval methods, improving performance in various applications like clinical trial matching and entity linking, particularly for low-resource scenarios. The resulting advancements have significant implications for improving information access and efficiency across diverse fields.