Constructive visual analytics for text similarity detection

TY - JOUR

T1 - Constructive visual analytics for text similarity detection

AU - Abdul-Rahman, Alfie

AU - Roe, Glenn

AU - Olsen, Mark

AU - Gladstone, Clovis

AU - Whaling, Richard

AU - Cronk, Nicholas

AU - Chen, Min

PY - 2017/1

Y1 - 2017/1

N2 - Detecting similarity between texts is a frequently encountered text mining task. Because the measurement of similarity is typically composed of a number of metrics, and some measures are sensitive to subjective interpretation, a generic detector obtained using machine learning often has difficulties balancing the roles of different metrics according to the semantic context exhibited in a specific collection of texts. In order to facilitate human interaction in a visual analytics process for text similarity detection, we first map the problem of pairwise sequence comparison to that of image processing, allowing patterns of similarity to be visualized as a 2D pixelmap. We then devise a visual interface to enable users to construct and experiment with different detectors using primitive metrics, in a way similar to constructing an image processing pipeline. We deployed this new approach for the identification of commonplaces in 18th-century literary and print culture. Domain experts were then able to make use of the prototype system to derive new scholarly discoveries and generate new hypotheses.

AB - Detecting similarity between texts is a frequently encountered text mining task. Because the measurement of similarity is typically composed of a number of metrics, and some measures are sensitive to subjective interpretation, a generic detector obtained using machine learning often has difficulties balancing the roles of different metrics according to the semantic context exhibited in a specific collection of texts. In order to facilitate human interaction in a visual analytics process for text similarity detection, we first map the problem of pairwise sequence comparison to that of image processing, allowing patterns of similarity to be visualized as a 2D pixelmap. We then devise a visual interface to enable users to construct and experiment with different detectors using primitive metrics, in a way similar to constructing an image processing pipeline. We deployed this new approach for the identification of commonplaces in 18th-century literary and print culture. Domain experts were then able to make use of the prototype system to derive new scholarly discoveries and generate new hypotheses.

U2 - 10.1111/cgf.12798

DO - 10.1111/cgf.12798

M3 - Article

SN - 0167-7055

VL - 36

SP - 237

EP - 248

JO - COMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM

JF - COMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM

IS - 1

ER -