Provides a chart showing differences (as of November 1979) in basic indexes for a number of databases that are available on two or more systems, such as DIALOG, ORBIT, and BRS. For each database, fields that are searched when a single unqualified search term is entered are listed. (Author/JD)

Describes the different approaches taken by the Chemical Abstracts Services database, which abstracts and indexes chemical publications, and the Belstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry database, which produces a collection of critical reviews. The resulting content of the databases and their ability to meet the needs of different users are…

Discusses strengths of abstracting and indexing services (subject coverage, resolution of language problems, systematic indexing) and summarizes sources, countries of origin, languages, total coverage, and indexing of four scientific and technical services--Biosis, Engineering Information, Inspec, Chemical Abstracts Service. Characteristics of…

Describes the use of fixed-length character strings for controlling the size of indexing vocabularies in information retrieval systems. An evaluation of digram and trigram encoding, using the Cranfield document test collection, is presented and the results are compared with the hashing and the right-hand truncation of the terms. (Author)

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)

Intended to provide the nursing community with a comparative analysis of four major computerized document retrieval systems and one manual system providing coverage of the nursing literature, this study compares the indexing vocabulary, database coverage, and retrieval performance of the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC),…

Examines how libraries and librarians can compare full-text general periodical indices, using ProQuest Direct, Periodical Abstracts (via Ovid), and EBSCOhost as examples. Explores breadth and depth of coverage; manipulation of results (email/download/print); ease of use (searching); and indexing quirks. (AEF)

Investigates one component of a Web site--the index structure, comparing the effectiveness and efficiency of 20 subjects who used one index and three experimental variants to complete five tasks. Findings indicate that a hypertext index with multiple access points for each concept, all linked to the same resource, led to greater effectiveness and…

Examines online and printed equivalents of selected government documents indexes to compare the recall, precision, overlap, and cost effectiveness of online and manual searching. Indexes studied were the Monthly Catalog, CIS (Congressional Information Service) Index, and Government Reports Announcements and Index. (CLB)

This book provides guidelines for evaluating a variety of database types, including abstracting and indexing, directory, full-text, and page-image databases available in online and/or CD-ROM formats. The book discusses the purpose and techniques of comparing and evaluating the most important characteristics of textual databases, such as their…

The purpose of this study was to improve upon previous research investigations by analyzing the elements of cost effectiveness, precision, recall, citation overlap, and hours searching in a comparison between computerized database searching and manual searching, using the setting of an academic library environment with a diverse group of students…

Describes five online databases that focus on computer products, primarily software and microcomputing hardware, and compares the databases in terms of record content, product coverage, vertical market coverage, currency, availability, and price. Sample records and searches are provided, as well as a directory of product databases. (CLB)

Summarizes the results of a study accessing music coverage in 11 databases--ABI/INFORM, AMERICA--HISTORY AND LIFE, ERIC, HISTORICAL ABSTRACTS, INSPEC, MAGAZINE INDEX, MLA BIBLIOGRAPHY, NATIONAL NEWSPAPER INDEX, PUBLIC AFFAIRS INFORMATION SERVICE INTERNATIONAL, PSYCHINFO, and SOCIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS. Selection of search terms and relevance of items…

Evaluates database searching and compares results of online and manual literature retrieval conducted in support of environmental research. Discussion covers search topic and construction of online profile, results and costs of online searches, results of manual searching, relevant references missed by online searching, and availability and…

A survey of 123 users at the National Agricultural Library and Purdue University showed that, for most measures of acceptability, users preferred online or digital videodisc versions of the Pork Industry Handbook to the printed version. User characteristics were examined as factors that might influence responses. (Author/MES)