Quality driven query answering for integrated information systems

The Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) are increasingly vital in our interconnected world, with more data and information becoming accessible online. Individuals and various organizations—governmental, commercial, cultural, and scientific—rely heavily on these online information sources. Common practices, such as checking flight schedules or stock information, illustrate this reliance. However, many users assume that the accessed information is accurate and that the data sources are reliable. This highlights the importance of not only the information content but also the quality of the data, which is crucial for making informed decisions. Access to information of known quality is essential for the well-being and functioning of modern industrialized societies. Despite the pressing need for clear concepts and techniques to assess and value data quality, there is a surprising lack of scientific research and available solutions in this area. Few approaches exist for utilizing quality measures when accessing and querying information on the Web, and only a limited number of IT products address this critical issue.