User modelling for adaptive question answering and information retrieval

Most question answering (QA) and information retrieval (IR) systems are insensitive to different users ’ needs and prefer-ences, and also to the existence of multiple, complex or con-troversial answers. We propose the notion of adaptivity in QA and IR by introducing a hybrid QA-IR system based on a user model. Our current prototype filters and re-ranks the query results returned by a search engine according to their read-ing level. This is particularly useful in school environments, where it is most needed to adjust the presentation of complex information to the pupils ’ level of understanding. Keywords: adaptive systems, question answering, information retrieval, user modelling, readability