Presents the "Evidence-of-Existence" information system in which the structure is developed, with application of cybernetic concepts, as an isomorphic model in analogy to the system structure of communication technology. Three criteria of structuring are postulated: (1) source-channel-sink, with input-output characteristics, (2) filter-type…

The personal literature search of a scientist is strongly governed by subjective influences. If he delegates his query, he must be aware of the problems emanating from this subjectivity. The information scientist, on the other hand, must consider the subjective character of the fundamental notions of information and order. (33 references)…

Explores the concept of cataloging, analyzes its functions and operations, and holds that as a control system bibliographic organization is subject to the laws of cybernetics. The role of relevance and the limitations of some regulatory devices are examined. (FM)

Information retrieval (IR) is driven by a process that decides whether a document is about a query. The purpose of this article is to consider "aboutness" from a fundamental, neutral perspective, to shed light on the nature of aboutness by formalizing properties describing it, and to define a set of reasonable properties of aboutness,…

The retrieval decision problem is considered from the viewpoint of a decision theory approach. A threshold rule based on earlier rules for indexing decisions is considered and analyzed for retrieval decisions as a measure of retrieval performance. The threshold rule is seen as a good descriptive design measure of what a reasonable retrieval system…

Uses Kintsch's proposition-based construction-integration theory of discourse comprehension to detail the user coding operations that occur in each of the three subsystems (Perception, Comprehension, Application) in which users process an information retrieval systems (IRS) message. Describes an IRS device made up of two separate parts that enable…

Textbooks currently in use in courses on information science are listed in this bibliography under the following headings: Information storage and retrieval, Information systems, Information theory, Behavioral sciences, and Basic books. Some of the entries in each category contain evaluative annotations by the author, while others have only the…

Proposes an alternative real valued representation of color based on the information theoretic concept of entropy. A theoretical presentation of image entropy is accompanied by a practical description of the merits and limitations of image entropy compared to color histograms. Results suggest that image entropy is a promising approach to image…

A framework is developed to evaluate expected search length, an important measure of an information storage and retrieval system's performance, as a function of the size of the information file and its organization in terms of indexing search structure. Previous research pertaining to search length by W.S. Cooper and others is surveyed and…

Examines the selective dissemination of indexed surrogates to overcome two major causes of cultural lag: reading overload and lack of cogency of technical communication. An analysis of three models--reference-retrieval systems, question-answering systems, and surrogate-dissemination systems--explores reasons for lag in technique implementation.…

Reviews characteristics and efficiency of types of information retrieval systems, and concludes that for selective dissemination of information from computer tapes keyword indexing is less efficient than enumerative hierarchical systems which require single hit searching. (AL)

Addresses problem of developing machine-based information system capable of indicating one document, out of a set of documents written in natural language, which shows maximal degree of homeosemy (relationship in meaning between two texts language-fragments ) toward natural language query. Linguistic aspects, information traces, trigrams,…

The purpose of this study was to provide some preliminary data about the information-searching behavior of the physician in order to (1) facilitate the development of models describing the search behavior and (2) provide the behavioral data necessary for the development of effective information retrieval systems for use by the medical profession.…

This paper demonstrates an approach which enables one to reduce in a systematic way the immense complexity of a large body of knowledge. This approach provides considerable insight into what is known and unknown in a given academic field by systematically and pragmatically ordering the information. As a case study, the authors selected…

THIS REPORT PROVIDES AN ASSESSMENT AND INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERDISCIPLINARY LITERATURE OF THREE APSECTS OF INFORMATION SCIENCE, IN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FORM. THESE ARE--COMMUNICATION NETWORKS, HUMAN INFORMATION PROCESSES (PRINCIPALLY LANGUAGE AND INFORMATION RETRIEVAL), AND THE LARGE CYBERNETIC SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE HUMAN BRAIN AND CENTRAL…