This study sought to (1) Determine how international students conduct research. (2) Determine whether international students conduct research in the way they perceive that they do. (3) Determine whether international students are efficient in conducting research. This study collected data from 67 international students who attend the University of…

As the international student population continues to grow, librarians must adjust their instruction to meet the needs of students who are adapting to a new country, culture, and language. This study assesses first-year international students as they engage in the research process through the completion of concept maps that precede database…

GANDALF (General Alpha Numeric Direct Access Library Facility) is an information retrieval system designed and implemented at the University of New Mexico for the purposes of retrieving abstracts from large abstract data bases, such as the ERIC system. Previous batch-process information retrieval systems for use with the ERIC data base have been…

A report of several comparisons designed to measure the retrieval effectiveness of machined-aided indexing and manual indexing. (Author)

The results of personal interviews with 18 of the more experienced online searchers in Washington State are presented. A profile of respondents determines the experience of each in searching in years, number of searches per month, vendors used, and most used data bases. This information is used to analyze the answers given to questions about the…

Library use and user studies (1973-1981) indexed in ERIC database were analyzed to ascertain areas in need of research as characterized by Tobin. Since 1972, most research conducted has been in large-scale studies and use of nonprint materials; use of government documents and library staff needs remain unresearched areas. (35 references) (EJS)

This study examined the use of advanced search commands and the Journal Name Finder database of DIALOG to simplify collection and processing of posting information for 42 library and information science serials (1966-1996) in six databases. Presents types of deficiencies in journal coverage that may yield incomplete search results and distort…

This user's guide to conducting a preliminary search of the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database on CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory) begins by briefly describing the types of materials found in ERIC and explains the four steps common to the any computer search: (1) definition of topic elements and formation of concept…

In order to identify and explain the reasons for differences in average on-line search rates among terminal installations, the operations and performance of several facilities using the Lockheed DIALOG system for on-line searching of the ERIC data base were studied. Detailed examinations were made of such aspects as the DIALOG system response time…

Discusses the need to reevaluate bibliographic instruction in academic libraries for an expanded online environment based on experiences at Moorhead State University (Minnesota). Topics addressed include the addition of databases to local online catalogs; student searching; search patterns; database characteristics; student search skills; library…

Describes a program developed to expose college chemistry students to some of the more modern information retrieval tools, as computerized online databases. Following classroom lectures and discussions, students individually develop a search statement relevant to their own research needs and run it in the Chemical Abstracts files. (BT)

The DIALIB Project was a 3-year experiment that investigated the potential of the public library as a "linking agent" between the public and the many machine-readable data bases currently accessible via the telephone using online terminals. The study investigated the following questions: (1) Is online search of use to the patrons of a…

This is the final report of the evaluation of the DIALIB project--an investigation of the public library as a linking agent to major scientific, educational, social, and environmental data bases. The report is presented in seven sections and four appendices as follows: Section I provides an introduction to the study and a brief summary of the…

This discussion of experimental information retrieval focuses on the mathematical and statistical skills needed by students in librarianship and information studies. Theoretical approaches to document representation, query representation, database searching, and evaluation are reviewed, and changes in library schools' curriculum are suggested.…

In this research project, subject terms from the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) Schedules and Relative Index were incorporated into an online catalog as searcher's tools for subject access, browsing, and display. Four features of the DDC were employed to help searchers browse for and match their own subject terms with the online catalog's…