The difference between pertinence and relevance is discussed. Other pairs of terms and the differences between their members are examined, and the suggestion is made that such studies could increase our understanding of the theory of information systems, and thence lead to practical improvements. (Author)

An evaluation of the Epilepsy Abstracts Retrieval System (EARS) was performed. Searches were conducted on the on-line system and evaluated in terms of recall, precision, and general user satisfaction. A detailed analysis of factors affecting the success and failure of the on-line searches was carried out. (4 references) (Author/SJ)

A retrospective test search on one year of CA Condensates was carried out in order to calculate the costs per profile and to get an impression of how CA Condensates would suffice as a database for retrospective use. (11 references) (Author)

An evaluation of graph theoretical clusters of index terms which can be extracted from an automatically indexed document collection, and the effects of employing such clusters in automatic document retrieval are described. (19 references) (Author)

The compatibility property of documentation system is defined by the capacity of the system to posit relationships of equivalence. This state is reached when cataloging references are properly structured and when a program allows searching the same data in the system. (15 references) (Author/MM)

Using abstract models of thesaurus-based and multi-attribute retrieval systems a correspondence between the two systems is established so that equivalent transformation of problem statements expressed by notions developed for one system into problem statements expressed by notions pretaining to the other one may be effectively constructed. (5…

The theoretical model of a document retrieval system is described by giving logical meaning to the vagueness and the similarity characteristic to such systems, with the frequency of occurrences of keywords and the relations among them taken into consideration. (6 references) (Author/SJ)

The problems of using English for information retrival are delineated. The querying capability of a keyword dialog system is illustrated with actual computer output. Major advantages of this approach are: reduced ambiguity in requests, users may think in smaller functional units, and users may edit previous requests. (7 references) (Author/SJ)

A design method for information retrieval systems, based on a modelling technique, and derived from the general objectives and tasks set for the system is described. (12 references) (SJ)

Interaction and interactive systems involve the computer and complexities when an abstracting and indexing service relates to its users. Kinds of interactions are: between government and industrial services; between discipline - and project - oriented services; on a national versus international level; and between the user and the computer. (4…

A high degree of constancy has been found in the microstructure of titles of samples of the INSPEC data base taken over a three-year period. Character and digram frequencies are relatively stable, while variable-length character-strings characterizing samples separated by three years in time show close similarities. (2 references) (Author/SJ)

Situationally relevant items of information are those that answer, or logically help to answer, questions of concern. Significant situationally relevant information is explained in terms of changes of view in relation to questions of concern. It is claimed that situational relevance is an explication of the ordinary notion of practical relevance.…

The author emphasized that one cannot conclude from the experiments reported upon that term clusters (or equivalently, keyword classifications or thesauruses) are not useful in retrieval. (2 references) (Author)

The simulation model described is used as a tool for designing and evaluating literature search systems. The simulation program creates a well specified collection of documents and analyzes the effect of charges in query file characteristics on system output performance. (14 references) (Author/KE)

Patents are clustered by similar cited-by" patterns using MacQueen's algorithm. The clusters are enriched by the addition of citing patents. These maximally connected clusters, or cliques, form the classification. (27 references) (Author)