Book excerpt: Information retrieval (IR) is considered to be the science of searching for information from a variety of information sources related to texts, images, sounds, or multimedia. With the rise of the internet and digital databases, updated information retrieval methodologies are essential to ensure the continued facilitation and enhancement of information exchange. Critical Approaches to Information Retrieval Research is a critical scholarly publication that provides multidisciplinary examinations of theoretical innovations and methods in information retrieval technologies including search and storage applications for data, text, image, sound, document, and video retrieval. Featuring a wide range of topics including data mining, machine learning, and ontology, this book is ideal for librarians, software engineers, data scientists, professionals, researchers, information engineers, scientists, practitioners, and academicians working in the fields of computer science, information technology, information and communication sciences, education, health, library, and more.