Presents an overview and statistical profile of currently available CD-ROM databases. Trends in the following areas are discussed: types of databases available (index, source, reference, full text, numeric, software and images); subject areas covered by databases; update frequency; and pricing. A list of key publishers and software is provided.…

Discusses the special characteristics of personal file management software and compares four microcomputer software packages: Notebook II with Bibliography and Convert, Pro-Cite with Biblio-Links, askSam, and Reference Manager. Each package is evaluated in terms of the user interface, file maintenance, retrieval capabilities, output, and…

Discusses the results of a survey of commercial CD-ROM databases and compares them with previous annual surveys. Topics discussed include the rapid growth in number of available titles; types of databases; subject areas; hardware requirements; frequency of updates; prices; and CD-ROM's potential as a publishing medium. (seven references) (LRW)

This description of a study that monitored user selection of business and legal databases in EasyNet's multifile Scan option presents a ranked list of selected databases and discusses the effects of price, recommended database indicator, file record format, database name, and individual files on database selection. (Six references) (CLB)

Compares four full text periodical databases to one another and to traditional online databases in terms of the types of information available, the number of titles available, coverage of periodical contents, timeliness, and search features. (CLB)

The first of three articles describes the results of a survey that examined characteristics and responsibilities of help-desk personnel at major database and online services. The second provides guidelines to using such customer services, and the third lists help-desk numbers for online databases and systems. (CLB)

Discusses three approaches to thesaurus and indexing/retrieval language maintenance for combined databases: reindexing, merging, and initial standardization. Two thesauri for a combined database are evaluated in terms of their compatibility, and indexing practices are compared. Tables and figures help illustrate aspects of the comparison. (SW)

Recommends those cases in which a database search of CIJE would benefit from a supplementary manual search of Education Index. Article also presents findings of a study of the usefulness of CIJE abstracts (1969-1978) which suggest that the user choose different online printing formats for different years. (JD)

Describes the decisions involved in an online environmental literature search of COMPENDEX and ENVIROLINE databases when considering free text or controlled vocabulary searching techniques. Topics covered are scope, concept identification, database choice, planning search strategy, and changing tactics during the search. Appendix contains examples…

Addresses the problem of overlap between the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Psychological Abstracts data bases, especially in areas of educational psychology. The article compares costs and article selection and offers guidelines for searchers based on duplication from test searches. (JD)

Presents a preliminary analysis of differences between Disclosure II and Predicasts Annual Reports Abstracts (databases which provide online company information) as available from DIALOG Information Retrieval Services. Sources of online information, duplication of information, company coverage, currency of coverage, accuracy of coverage, and…

Describes a progression of tests that were developed for assessing online database accuracy. Results of the tests are discussed and compared; examples of search queries on DIALOG are given; and the possibility of standardizing such tests are considered. (Contains 11 references.) (LRW)

Describes compilation of data concerning pharmaceutical journal coverage in online databases which aid information providers in collection development and database selection. Methodology, results (a core collection, overlap, timeliness, geographic scope), and implications are discussed. Eight references and a list of 337 journals indexed online in…

Shows how online content analysis can be used to measure the frequencies and contexts of issues that advertisers circulate to major media markets. An example of a study of word strings of advertising slogans, a description of the benchmarks of successful sloganeering, and strategies for planning a study are described. (KRN)

These two articles discuss search strategies and the selection of databases. The first examines database selection when recommended database indicators are changed and database names are expanded in the EasyNet system; and the second discusses multifile searching versus single file searching in terms of success rates for novice users and cost…