The staff at University of Connecticut are participating in Elsevier's Student Ambassador Program (SAmP) in which graduate students train their peers on "citation searching" research using Scopus and Web of Science, two tremendous citation databases. They are in the fourth semester of these training programs, and they are wildly successful: They…

Explains the capabilities of Bibliographic Retrieval Services' CROSS database index, a "postings only" file which serves as a presearch aid to training and database selection, and as a tool for ready reference and interlibrary loan verification. Limitations of the aid are noted, and a specification table summarizes operating information.…

This presentation at a seminar for library staff and students describes the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system as an information system designed to provide users with ready access to primarily English-language literature dealing with education by establishing a database, publishing abstracting journals, and reproducing…

Reviews the origins of post-coordinate searching and emphasizes that the focal point should be on the searcher, not on the item being indexed. Highlights include the history of the term information retrieval; edge notched punch cards; the "peek-a-boo" system; the Uniterm system; and using computers to search for information. (LRW)

Discusses the rationale, principles, required tools, advantages, and disadvantages of the Multifile Multidisciplinary (Horizontal) Search approach to searching online databases. It is noted that this approach is characterized by the use of a large number of files spanning a wide variety of disciplines. (12 references) (MES)

Discusses several online databases available through DIALOG Information Retrieval Service which are useful for identifying corporate wealth, philanthropic awards, and government grants (Foundation Directory, Foundation Grants Index, Grants Database, and National Foundations). Scope and access points are noted, and search examples are appended.…

Reviews the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, an online special database of the Research Libraries Information Network that analyzes the contents of journals, listing only those articles dealing with architecture. Access and fees, access points, browsing, and search strategies are covered and examples are given. (EJS)

Describes methods for applying natural-language processing for automatic concept-based indexing of full text and methods for exploiting the structure and hierarchy of full-text documents to a large collection of full-text documents drawn from the Health Services/Technology Assessment Text database at the National Library of Medicine. Examines how…

Provides description of principal database sources for information on current events--newspaper indexes (e.g., INFORMATION BANK, VU/TEXT, NEWSPAPER INDEX); magazine databases (e.g., NEXIS-MAGS, MAGAZINE ASAP); wire service databases (e.g., NewsNet, WIRES, NEWS); and reference databases (encyclopedias, yearbooks, FACTS ON FILE). A list of the 37…

This report details the various search methods applicable to the ERIC database through the use of manual indexes available in paper and microfiche form. It provides examples of searches for both documents and journal articles, illustrating the use of ERIC thesaurus terms, subject descriptor/identifier indexes on microfiche, paper indexes, the…

Describes H. W. Wilson's information retrieval system which provides access to such familiar printed indexes as "Social Sciences Index,""Humanities Index,""Education Index," and "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature." Use of this flexible system is explained and illustrated. (CDD)

Presents uniform and efficient approach for processing all truncated query terms in information retrieval which requires one disk access to obtain from the permuted dictionary all strings represented by truncated term. The problem of the overhead storage required to implement the permuted dictionary is discussed. Fifteen references are provided.…

Discusses indexing in large text databases, approximate text searching, and space-time tradeoffs for indexed text searching. Studies the space overhead and retrieval times as functions of the text block size, concludes that an index can be sublinear in space overhead and query time, and applies the analysis to the Web. (Author/LRW)

Characterizes types of indexing programs used by Research Publications, Inc. and describes provision of access to four major projects: "The Official Washington Post Index" (provides access to newspaper and microfilm edition); "The Eighteenth Century"; "The Declassified Documents Reference System" (ongoing fiche…

Suggests a new ranking scheme especially adapted for hypertext environments in order to produce more effective retrieval results and still use Boolean search strategies. Topics include Boolean ranking schemes; single-term indexing and term weighting; fuzzy set theory extension; and citation indexing. (64 references) (Author/LRW)