---
title: "The Use of a Semantic Network in a Deductive Question-Answering System"
authors:
  - "James R. McSkimin"
  - "Jack Minker"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1977/10"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1977/0010.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Fifth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1977
pages: "50-57"
track: "Natural Language"
keywords:
---

# The Use of a Semantic Network in a Deductive Question-Answering System

James R. McSkimin, Jack Minker

*Proceedings of the Fifth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 50-57.

## Abstract

The use of a semantic network to aid in the deductive search process of a Question-Answering System is described. The semantic net\\Urk is based on an adaptation of the predicate calculus. It makes available user-supplied, domain-dependent information so as to permit semantic data to be used during the search process. Three ways are discussed in which semantic information may be used. These are: (a) To apply semantic information during the pattern-matching process. (b) To apply semantic well-formedness tests to query and data inputs. (c) To determine when subproblems are fullysolved (i.e., they have no solutions other than a fixed, finite number). An example is provided which illustrates the use of a semantic netiDrk to perform each of the above functions.