Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: Aligning Offline Metrics With Downstream Answer Quality

Authors

  • Botond Ferenczy Centre for Information Retrieval, Jaszsag Institute of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Jaszbereny, Hungary Author
  • Klemens Rieplhuber Centre for Language Technology, Bucklige Welt Institute of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Wiener Neustadt, Austria Author
  • Torben Skaarup Department of Statistics, Vendsyssel Institute of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Hjorring, Denmark Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22660788

Keywords:

Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K; Applied machine learning; Evidence synthesis; Production deployment; MLOps

Abstract

Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K is an area of active development in applied machine learning, with evidence that has
accumulated unevenly across its component questions. We review the current evidence base for retrieval evaluation beyond recall
at k, spanning methodological, implementation, governance, and cost dimensions, focusing on where practice has converged and
where it continues to vary, and set out the practical considerations relevant to a team considering its adoption. We conclude that
selective, context-specific use is best supported by the evidence currently available, rather than uniform adoption or avoidance.

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Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a empirical analysis". Knowl Based Syst 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a ablation study". IEEE Trans Neural Netw Learn Syst 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a reproducibility study". Proc KDD 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a large-scale evaluation". Proc AAAI 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a case study". IEEE Trans Knowl Data Eng 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a survey". J Artif Intell Res 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a comparative analysis". ACM Comput Surv 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a field deployment report". Neural Comput Appl 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a benchmark study". Expert Syst Appl 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Retrieval Evaluation Beyond Recall at K: a systematic evaluation". Inf Sci 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

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Published

2025-01-01