On the Problem of Communicating Complex Information The nature of the difficulty involved in communicating mathematical results between scientists using a computer based information retrieval system is examined. The problem is analyzed in terms of psychological and information-processing processes, and what turns out to be a vicious circle of effects is described. These include ways of augmenting written natural language by various notational and linguistic devices, the exhibition of the structure inherent in the information we are communicating, and a sophisticated interactive system controlled by computer. CACM May, 1973 Pager, D. complex information, information, communication, mathematics, proof, interactive system, language 1.0 1.1 1.50 1.52 1.59 2.42 3.32 3.51 3.62 3.70 3.81 CA730501 JB January 24, 1978 9:25 AM 2519 4 2519 2390 5 2519 2519 5 2519 2519 5 2519 2519 5 2519