Discusses methods of evaluating commercial online databases and provides examples that illustrate their hidden dimensions. Topics addressed include size, including the number of records or the number of titles; the number of years covered; and the frequency of updates. Comparisons of Readers' Guide Abstracts and Magazine Article Summaries are…

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)

Descriptions and evaluations of 13 databases devoted to computer information are presented by type under four headings: bibliographic databases; daily news services; online computer magazines; and specialized computer industry databases. Information on database producers, starting date of file, update frequency, vendors, and prices is summarized…

Outlines practical searching techniques in seven core behavioral science databases accessing psychological literature: Psychological Abstracts, Social Science Citation Index, Biosis, Medline, Excerpta Medica, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC. Use of individual files is discussed and their relative strengths/weaknesses are compared. Appended is a list…

A comparison of the Magazine Index (MI) and the New York Times Information Bank (IB) showed the two data bases have little in common, mainly due to differences in focus, indexing, vocabulary, use online, and output. For business and government users, IB is the best choice; for more general and academic purposes, MI provides access to more…

Reviews the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, an online special database of the Research Libraries Information Network that analyzes the contents of journals, listing only those articles dealing with architecture. Access and fees, access points, browsing, and search strategies are covered and examples are given. (EJS)

Three online databases that provide information on regional, state, and local business news are compared in terms of publications indexed, indexing guidelines, record structure, span of coverage, currency, and availability. (CLB)

Provides description of principal database sources for information on current events--newspaper indexes (e.g., INFORMATION BANK, VU/TEXT, NEWSPAPER INDEX); magazine databases (e.g., NEXIS-MAGS, MAGAZINE ASAP); wire service databases (e.g., NewsNet, WIRES, NEWS); and reference databases (encyclopedias, yearbooks, FACTS ON FILE). A list of the 37…

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…

Presents a dBASE III searching/micro tip that will reveal whether any journals listed within a capture log file are in local holdings. An example gives the commands needed to use the ISSN field in the citations to search a local holdings database. (DB)

Presents a description of Act I, the newest database from Data Courier, Inc., which provides an online directory of computer related companies and products. Highlights include content, applications, most useful features, classification code/classification name, and output. A sample record, journals list, and database specifications are included.…

Reports the results of a study that examined four databases, AGRICOLA, BIOSIS, CAB, and SCISEARCH, to determine their overlap with regard to agricultural and forestry literature. Relative strengths and weaknesses were assessed concerning subject coverage, timeliness, and searching capabilities. (Author)

Examines ways in which names and titles may be used in online searching (definition of new concepts, enhancements of searches by improving recall or precision, search expression development for multi-database searching). Personal names, book and movie titles, names of affiliating and sponsoring bodies, and journal titles are considered. (12…

Reviews six databases and CD-ROMs: Broadcast News, Bookshelf '95, All Music Guide (CompuServe), CD-ROM of CD-ROMs, Grolier Encyclopedia (CompuServe), and Magazine Database. (LRW)

Presents overview of NEXIS, an online computer system providing access to the full text of magazines, newspapers, and wire services relevant to public affairs, social science, business, and general news. Describes free text search techniques, system features, and costs. A special NEXIS terminal has been developed by Mead Data Center. (RBF)