Tests performed on 6,260 titles from 3 machine-readable British National Bibliography files using an entropy based technique for abbreviation of text strings for use as a control code found that more than 94 percent of the titles generated a unique seven character code. Six references and an illustrative example are appended. (EJS)

Discusses several query-processing methods designed to allow the use of relevance weights or thresholds attached to terms and compares them with normal Boolean rules and fuzzy subset theory. Forty-five references are listed. (FM)

Extends Goffman's Indirect Method of Information Retrieval by suggesting a more flexible search strategy which, in its simplified version, appears more effective than the Boolean strategy used in existing information retrieval systems and can be implemented at comparable costs. (Author)

Describes an empirical study that was conducted to examine the performance of expert search intermediaries from Chemical Abstracts Service. Highlights include subject-independent and subject-dependent expertise; a model of the use of subject-specific knowledge; and implications for computerized intermediary systems and for training human…

A procedure for adjusting queries to retrieve more documents for a user by automatically selecting and broadening the descriptors from relevant documents is described. Although more computing is required, recall and precision are superior to traditional searching. (KP)

Describes a method of iterative searching that uses local metrical clustering in the formulation of additional searches by producing searchonyms, terms which are synonymous to keywords in the context of a single query. The method was applied to a database containing Hebrew and Aramaic text. Seven references are listed. (FM)

Explains, with supporting figures and flowcharts of programing logic, two search strategies introduced to the MORPHS System since 1976: one that employs the normal Boolean operators in strings without bracketing or in the form of marked steps, and one that treats a string of keywords as a compound word. (Author/JD)

Discusses the text retrieval system, EUREKA, and its techniques for helping the unsophisticated user through the search for and understanding of information based on the vocabulary file concept. Methods for easy construction and maintenance of a suitable data base organization through the EURUP system are described. (RAA)

Discusses the potential of recent work in artificial intelligence, especially expert systems, for the development of more effective information retrieval systems. Highlights include the role of an expert bibliographic retrieval system and a prototype expert retrieval system, PROBIB-2, that uses MicroProlog to provide deductive reasoning…

Reports of two experimental studies of uses of citing statements to augment full-text information retrieval of biomedical papers indicate that 78 percent of the words in computer-recognized citing statements were correctly attributable to corresponding cited papers, and computer procedures missed four percent of the words in the actual statements.…

Analyzes recent developments in the problem of processing queries expressed as Boolean expressions, shows that the concept of threshold values resolves the problems inherent with relevance weights, and explores possible evaluation mechanisms for document retrieval based on fuzzy set theory. Sixteen references are listed. (FM)

Estimates of frequency of spelling errors are made based on a sample of 3,600 index terms drawn from 11 bibliographic data bases. The impact of these errors is discussed by tape supplier, tape user, and end user; with some suggestions for search strategies.

Provides overview of Ergonomics Abstracts Retrieval System (EARS), an online bibliographic search and retrieval system in the area of human factors engineering. Other online systems are described, the design of EARS based on inverted file organization is explained, and system expansions including a thesaurus are discussed. (Author/LRW)

Assesses the adequacy of Robert S. Taylor's model of question formulation in the context of online presearch interviews, and presents an altered model which introduces the bearers of needs and makes distinctions about those needs as isolated or negotiated events in the interviews. Thirty-three references are listed. (FM)

Describes an indexing technique based on overlapping word fragments as reference strings that are linked in a directed graph structure which makes possible exact match-, partial match-, and masked-partial match-retrieval and indicates search strategies for each case. Eight figures, two tables, and nine references are provided. (RBF)