Indexing and retrieval strategies for natural language fact retrieval

Researchers in artificial intelligence have recently become interested in natural language fact retrieval; currently, their research is at a point where it can begin contributing to the field of Information Retrieval. In this paper, strategies for a natural language fact retrieval system are mapped out, and approaches to many of the organization and retrieval problems are presented. The CYRUS system, which keeps track of important people and is queried in English, is presented and used to illustrate those solutions.