Parents of children with autism face many challenges that arise from the practical, day-to-day issues of living with autism. The specific goals of this guide are to help parents: (1) find information about autism; (2) distinguish between research-based and non-research-based information; (3) become savvy consumers of information by giving them the…

Presents guidelines for effective online searching developed over the last 20 years. Areas covered by the guidelines include preplanning, database selection, cost-effective search techniques, searching for names, awareness of differences between databases and systems, matching search strategies to databases, postsearch routines, and the…

Discusses online search techniques that can be used to identify inaccuracies and inconsistencies in records of online and CD-ROM databases. Methods that can be used to sample a database for errors in descriptor, name, or coded fields are described, including browsing, matching, looking up cross-references, and searching for implausible record…

This booklet is an instruction manual for those using the FOCUS database, an information source on dropout prevention of the National Dropout Prevention Center. An introduction lists the FOCUS files, which include Program Profiles, Calendar of Events, Resource Materials Library, Organizations, and Consultants and Speakers. Also given is the…

Operating procedures are explained for COSMOS (County of San Mateo Online System), a computerized information retrieval system designed for the San Mateo Educational Resources Center (SMERC), which provides interactive access to both ERIC and a local file of fugitive documents. COSMOS hardware and modem compatibility requirements are reviewed,…

Argues that online searching in terms of both recall and precision improves when search results are checked, and identifies many problems that a searcher should look out for. Numerous examples of printouts illustrate these problems. (JD)

Describes the characteristics of System Development Corporation's (SDC) online index to its database, "Database Index," and presents the results of various test searches to demonstrate the limitations and benefits of the new online file. (JD)

Discusses particular problems and possible solutions in searching the Psychological Abstracts database, with special reference to its loading on BRS. Included are examples of typical searches, citations (with or without abstract/annotation), a tabulated searchguide to Psychological Abstracts on BRS and specifications for the database. (Author/JD)

Defines corporate family searching as the act of using computerized databases to identify a parent company and all of its related companies. Business databases available on Dialog that can be searched to trace a corporate family are identified and appropriate search strategies are described. (CLB)

This document describes Oklahoma Library Technology Network electronic resources for elementary age children. The first section provides a history of Oklahoma statewide shared databases. Oklahoma statewide information database contacts are listed in the second section. The third section presents information on InfoTrac Kid's Edition Online…

Three aspects of training and education for online searching of bibliographic and databases are addressed: (1) the present status--what is being taught, (2) a proposed model--what needs to be taught, and (3) the implementation of the model--who should teach what. The first section shows which organizations (library and information schools,…

Provides descriptions of 14 databases that contain citations to audiovisual instructional materials: AGRICOLA, AVLINE, AVMARC, BIOETHICSLINE, CATLINE, CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, DRUG INFO, ERIC, EXCEPTIONAL CHILD EDUCATION RESOURCES (ECER), LIBCON, NICEM, NICSEM/NIMIS, NIMH, and OCLC. Information for each includes subject content, update frequency,…

Introduces the reader to the Food Science and Technology Abstracts, a data file that covers worldwide literature on human food commodities and aspects of food processing. Topics include scope, subject index, thesaurus, searching online, and abstracts; tables provide a comparison of ORBIT and DIALOG versions of the file. (JD)

Profiles the new bibliographic database devoted solely to scholarly articles of political science. Two "searchguides" compare the Lockheed/DIALOG and SDC/ORBIT versions of the file. (JD)

Describes the advantages, disadvantages, and special features of the SCISEARCH database. Topics include file content, journal selection, subject areas, companion files, major data base characteristics, users, and searching strategies; many sample searches and citations are provided, as well as a tabulated searchguide (1974 to present), and data…