Web-based question answering system for restricted domain based of integrating method using semantic information

In this paper, we propose the construction of a Web-based question answering(QA) system for restricted domain that combined three resource information databases for the retrieval mechanism, including a question & answer database, a special domain documents database and a Web resource retrieved by Google search engine. We describe a new retrieval technique of integrating a probabilistic technique based on OkapiBM25 and a semantic analysis based on an ontology of HowNet knowledge base and a special domain HowNet created for the restricted domain. Furthermore, we provide a method of question expansion by computing word semantic similarity. The system is first developed for a middlesized domain of sightseeing information. The experiments proved the efficiency of our method for restricted domain and it is feasible to transfer to other domains expediently using the proposed method.