Two statistical measures are used to compare the Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal Classification systems by applying them to the library science portions of the two systems using a database drawn from MARC records. It is concluded that the measures characterize two different properties of dispersion. (Author/EM)

This report describes recent efforts to modify, test, and evaluate an experimental online database consisting of 15 vendor-supplied, controlled subject vocabularies or thesauri. The experimental database, called the Vocabulary Switching System (VSS), is designed to enhance search strategies and ultimately retrieval performance for users of online…

Presents a mathematical theory that can be used to define concentration places of objects within unordered classes. The application to research on the evolution of journals and subject areas is illustrated, and an online method of calculating concentration evolution is described. (1 references) (CLB)

This study examines the integration of heterogeneous bibliographic information resources from geographically distributed locations in an automated, unified, and controlled way using abstract data types called "classes" through the Message-Object Model defined in Smalltalk-80 software. The concept of achieving data consistency by…

Selection and acquisition of relevant materials for building and developing an information infrastructure are modern worldwide problems. This document provides a core listing of journals in the earth sciences in an effort to develop a tool for the improvement of information handling and transfer. The core list was generated using several databases…

Suggests new method of external distribution called tree partitioning that involves use of binary tree to split incoming file into successively smaller partitions for internal sorting. Number of disc accesses during a tree-partitioning sort were calculated in simulation using files extracted from British National Bibliography catalog files. (19…

At Tallahassee Community College (TCC), a full-time equivalent (FTE) based ratio was used as the basis for comparing the college's staff allocations with those of other community colleges in the state. The development of a statewide personnel database by the Florida State Board of Community Colleges provided the means for investigating this ratio.…

A state educational indicator system being developed by the Pennsylvania Educational Policy Studies (PEPS) project at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) is described. The extensive database that has been established as part of the PEPS project includes thousands of variables that are descriptive of the 500 Pennsylvania school districts.…

Describes PLEXUS, an expert system for information retrieval related to gardening, designed at the University of London for use in public libraries. Focusing on the semantic problems encountered, methods used in artificial intelligence and information science to resolve them are discussed, including classification and facet analysis. (Author/LRW)

A catalog of research units in Pennsylvania is presented as part of the Pennsylvania Research Inventory Project. This project focuses on research units that have a defined focus of interest, specialized professional personnel, funding or budgeted support, and distinctive products and/or outcomes. The catalog lists research units in alphabetical…

Information available on rural education remains startlingly inadequate--partly because of the great diversity of rural areas, because agencies responsible for data collection disagree on the definition of small/rural schools, and because large metropolitan schools have received far more than their share of attention, research, and financial…