AN ORAL EXPERIMENT ON RETRIEVAL DIALOGUE

An experiment is described for determining the vocabulary and grammar of user retrieval requests in natural English as a guide in the design of a language for man-machine communication through a typewriter console. Results of ten question-answer dialogs are discussed. In oral communication, initial requests were most frequently declarative and subsequently became interrogative. Few requests were phrased in complete English sentences. Requests did not precisely state the information being sought and included sequences of peripheral comments. Instructions to the subjects and their dialogs are appended. (Author)