Presents a database system development model in which theoretical support in the form of automated theorem proving is brought to bear on the problem of enforcing integrity, i.e., ensuring that the database system represents only those states and transitions that are possible in the world it models. (MBR)

This introduction to a special issue devoted to modeling data, information, and knowledge briefly describes the origins of the papers presented and the topics covered, which include: Boolean logic; probability theory; artificial intelligence; organizing and encoding information and data; and characteristics of users of retrieval systems. (12…

This description of the development of expert systems designed to solve management problems focuses on the issue of corporate divestment as an example. Software needs are discussed, and an example of a management expert system for divestment analysis at James Madison University is briefly described. (Author/LRW)

Describes a project aimed at developing a system to support managers of business software projects by incorporating knowledge acquisition and emphasizing the integration of the manager's tasks. The discussion covers the knowledge acquisition methodology, the architecture of an integrated system, and an overview of project management tasks. (15…

Presents a conceptual framework for the development of decision support systems which outlines abstractions involved in the decision-making process and describes various functions and components of the system. The computer architecture is described and an example of an application is provided. (31 references) (Author/CLB)

Describes a computational model of the human process of generating text. The system design and generation process are discussed with particular attention to domain independence and cross language portability. The results of system tests are presented, the generator is evaluated with respect to current generators, and future directions are…

Describes rough sets theory and discusses the advantages it offers for information retrieval, including the implicit inclusion of Boolean logic, term weighting, ranked retrieval output, and relevance feedback. Rough set formalism is compared to Boolean, vector, and fuzzy models of information retrieval and a small scale evaluation of rough sets is…

Describes the three subsystems of an information retrieval system (document descriptions, queries, and matching algorithms) and argues that the interdependency of these subsystems requires adaptation for the system to perform when any component changes. An algorithm for redescribing documents, in response to changes in queries and retrieval rules,…

Describes a longitudinal study of students' perceptions of the information search process in libraries over a four-year period from high school through college. The discussion covers the cognitive theory on which the study was based, a model of the search process, and how closely students' perceptions matched the model. (26 references) (Author/CLB)

Outlines design requirements for situation description, policy specifications, and decision consequences feedback systems of type that could be used to help manage Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) portfolios for large organizations. Several systems are described, and three additional systems design characteristics are…

Outlines procedures for selecting scientific journals for academic library collections and provides a model which ranks data sources according to their relative weights rather than ranking the journals themselves. Use of the model in scientifically less developed countries is discussed. (Author/LRW)

Describes information system being developed by Unesco's General Information Program and Brazilian Institute for Information Science and Technology to overcome lack of timely, relevant data to support national information decision making. Principles and examples of practical applications of the system are presented. Prospects and requirements for…