Directives and guidance in obtaining current medical literature are provided in this publication with special emphasis given to locating material in the Portland, Oregon area. The uses and types of periodical indexes are identified and periodical index citation examples are indicated. Explanations are offered on: (1) how to conduct an effective…

This paper compares the subject indexing on articles pertaining to Immanuel Kant, agriculture, and aging that are found simultaneously in Humanities Index, Academic Search Elite (EBSCO) and Periodicals Research II (Micromedia ProQuest), in order to show that there are substantial variations in the depth and quality of indexing in these databases.…

This study examined the inclusiveness of eight indexes and abstracts of presumable interest in communication arts, and found that none of them provided comprehensive access to articles chosen from a core list of communication arts journals. The implications of the findings for the teaching of search strategies and for editorial policies on…

Focuses on the retrieval of numeric data from information sources that present special challenges. Describes a new method to deal with the challenge of accessing this special type of data indexed by unfamiliar metadata vocabularies. Extends the entry vocabulary module (EVM) approach to deal with numeric database searching. (AEF)

This guide is designed to provide aid and support to library staff in finding government scientific and technical reports. Following an introduction to bibliographic sources for the technical report literature, the guide outlines a general search strategy for the retrieval of technical reports and presents an overview of the following five major…

This paper presents the most important concepts and techniques to use in successfully searching the major World Wide Web search engines and directories, explains the basics of how search engines work, and describes what is included in their indexes. Following an introduction that gives an overview of Web directories and search engines, the first…

Evaluates the use of business indexes to access journal literature for science and technology information. Compares the science and technology journal holdings of four business indexes, and finds that searchers can benefit from using them. A table of the indexes' holdings for 280 science and technology journals is appended. (JMV)

Reports how a cross-section of database producers, search services, and aggregators are using vocabulary management to facilitate cross-file searching. Discusses the range of subject areas and audiences; indexing; vocabulary control within databases; machine aids to indexing; and aids to cross-file searching. A chart contains sources of files and…

Computer vision offers a variety of techniques for searching for pictures in large collections of images. Appearance methods compare images based on the overall content of the image using certain criteria. Finding methods concentrate on matching subparts of images, defined in a variety of ways, in hope of finding particular objects. These ideas…

Focuses on stage three of the Big6 process for teaching information problem solving--location and access. This stage has two components: locate sources and find information within sources. Highlights include the concept of index, keyword search strategy, and Boolean searching. (AEF)

The use of locally produced dissertations by extramural scholars was examined in four Ohio academic libraries. The results include identification of users by type of institution; purpose for which the dissertations were used; and tools and approaches successfully used in identifying and locating the desired dissertations. (CLB)

Integrating comments from the literature about CD-ROMs, online searching, and information retrieval, this report describes the initial experience of using InfoTrac at Winona State University (WSU). After finding that students did not tend to order fee-based online searches, the WSU library provided access on a trial basis to bibliographic…

Discusses the issues surrounding the selection and mounting of University Microfilms'"Periodical Abstracts" on the University of Hartford's integrated library system. Argues that increased access provided by loading tapes on the mainframe computer outweigh the disadvantages of poor print features and narrower scope when compared to the…

This paper discusses the indexing, collection, and maintenance processes, as well as the retrieval interface, to public digital libraries. The paper begins by briefly surveying both Internet technical report collections and World Wide Web search engines. It goes on to describe a prototype digital library, the New Zealand Digital Library for…

The library at Phoenix College developed the Controversial Issues Files (CIF), a "home made" card file containing references pertinent to specific ongoing assignments. Although the CIF had proven itself to be an excellent resource tool for beginning researchers, it was cumbersome to maintain in the card format, and was limited to very…