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…

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…

Reviews the development of secondary information services in the arts and humanities, discusses the services currently provided and the usage levels for those services, outlines some of the problems associated with online databases in the humanities, and considers some probable future developments. A 5-item reference list is included. (JL)

Describes the Kodak Picture Exchange that includes a database of over 200,000 photographic images collected from 28 stock photography companies in the United States that allows the user to search for images by topic. Highlights include installing the software, alternative search strategies, costs, manipulating images, and rules governing the use…

Based on a series of studies performed by ERIC/Information Resources staff and consultants which focused on the activities of over 40 experienced online searchers, this report offers the following suggestions for enhancing certain online retrieval system features and making improvements in ERIC vocabulary: (1) the implementation of an online…

Designed for educators requesting information from ERIC and for the search intermediary who channels educators' requests to a search service, this updated guide explains in non-technical language the steps involved in preparing a computer search for the ERIC database. A beginning section on how to initiate a search discusses the choice of a…

This manual describes the contents, purpose, and use of the Australian Education Index Database (AEII), which is produced by the Library and Information Services Unit of the Australian Council for Educational Research to provide access to Australian generated information both in published and unpublished forms. An overview of AEII is followed by…

The aims of the first phase of the Statistics Indexing and Retrieval (STIR) Project have been: (1) to define the types and sources of statistics which should be within the scope of an operational indexing system for statistical sources; (2) to analyze the use made of statistical sources; and (3) to consider the intellectual, structural, and…

Developed to orient the information seeker to the computerized literature search process, this guide provides background information that will help the user facilitate the search interview and the formation of a search topic, enabling him or her to focus on personal search needs and not on the fundamentals of online searching. Major purposes for…

Traces history of National Technical Information Service (NTIS), charting growth into social science information resource. Acquisition criteria and sources of social science information processed by NTIS, indexing practices and subject classifications of interest to social scientists, and relationships between NTIS and Government Printing Office…

Discusses the developments that have positively or adversely affected abstracting and indexing services over the past several decades, addressing such topics as the impact of computers and the migration from print-on-paper to online information provision. Forecasts for the near and long-term future are made and a reference list is included. (JL)

Reports how a cross-section of database producers, search services, and aggregators are using vocabulary management to facilitate cross-file searching. Discusses the range of subject areas and audiences; indexing; vocabulary control within databases; machine aids to indexing; and aids to cross-file searching. A chart contains sources of files and…

This annual update of a bibliography that was published as a supplement to the first issue of "Online Review" contains 931 references covering the approximate time period of late 1982 through early 1984. Entries are arranged by author within each of 11 sections. Permuted title and author indexes are included. (EJS)

Provides permuted title and author indexes to the 931-item seventh annual update (July 1984 issue of "Online Review") of a bibliography on online information retrieval which was published as a supplement to the first issue of "Online Review." The approximate time period of late 1982 through early 1984 is covered. (EJS)

This overview of PRECIS indexing system use by the National Film Board of Canada covers reasons for its choice, challenge involved in subject analysis and indexing of audiovisual documents, the methodology and software used to process PRECIS records, the resulting catalog subject indexes, and user reaction. Twenty-one references are cited. (EJS)