This article, "ASK FOR INFORMATION RETRIEVAL: PART I. BACKGROUND AND THEORY," by Robert N. Oddy, N J. Belkin, and H M. Brooks, discusses the background and theoretical foundation of an interactive information retrieval system designed to address the anomalous states of knowledge (ASKs) underlying information needs. The authors argue that traditional information retrieval systems often fail to meet user needs because they assume that information needs can be precisely specified, which is often not the case. Instead, they propose that ASKs should be elicited from users through interviews and analyzed statistically to derive network representations. These representations are then used to classify ASKs and evaluate the effectiveness of retrieval strategies. The study found that interviewing users is a satisfactory method for eliciting problem statements, and statistical analysis produces appropriate structures for both documents and problem statements. The results suggest that an ASK-based information retrieval system is feasible and may offer significant improvements over traditional systems. The article outlines the theoretical framework, design principles, and components of the proposed system, emphasizing the importance of user interaction and iterative refinement in resolving ASKs.This article, "ASK FOR INFORMATION RETRIEVAL: PART I. BACKGROUND AND THEORY," by Robert N. Oddy, N J. Belkin, and H M. Brooks, discusses the background and theoretical foundation of an interactive information retrieval system designed to address the anomalous states of knowledge (ASKs) underlying information needs. The authors argue that traditional information retrieval systems often fail to meet user needs because they assume that information needs can be precisely specified, which is often not the case. Instead, they propose that ASKs should be elicited from users through interviews and analyzed statistically to derive network representations. These representations are then used to classify ASKs and evaluate the effectiveness of retrieval strategies. The study found that interviewing users is a satisfactory method for eliciting problem statements, and statistical analysis produces appropriate structures for both documents and problem statements. The results suggest that an ASK-based information retrieval system is feasible and may offer significant improvements over traditional systems. The article outlines the theoretical framework, design principles, and components of the proposed system, emphasizing the importance of user interaction and iterative refinement in resolving ASKs.