Compares four full text periodical databases to one another and to traditional online databases in terms of the types of information available, the number of titles available, coverage of periodical contents, timeliness, and search features. (CLB)

Discusses term position as a search tactic in Boolean retrieval systems and describes ranked output systems that have used term weighting. The use of term proximity devices in ranked output systems is proposed, the algorithms used are explained, and a search experiment with a test collection is described. (19 references) (LRW)

Describes study that compared the costs of online searching on six databases in four systems. Costs of the search phase and the output phase are analyzed separately; transmission rate and telecommunication costs are examined; and the effects of pricing structures on online searches are discussed. (five references) (LRW)

Literature showing the disadvantages of Boolean logic in online searching is reviewed, and research comparing the Filter/Flow visual interface (i.e., a graphical representation of Boolean operators) with a text-only interface is described. A significant difference in the total number of correct queries is reported that favored Filter/Flow. (16…

Shows how online content analysis can be used to measure the frequencies and contexts of issues that advertisers circulate to major media markets. An example of a study of word strings of advertising slogans, a description of the benchmarks of successful sloganeering, and strategies for planning a study are described. (KRN)

This evaluation of Predicasts' PROMT megafile and its implications for online searchers includes a comparison of sample searches of company and product data in PROMT and a control database, a critical evaluation of company documentation, and a survey of PROMT users. (CLB)

Reports on a study that investigated the effects of subject knowledge and search experience on tactics used by novices and experienced searchers in online searches. Results of an experiment conducted with 32 undergraduate students and 32 professional searchers, and implications of the findings for system design are discussed. (52 references) (KRN)

Discussion of the selection of search terms during an online search involving users and intermediaries focuses on a study that investigated at what stage of the search process search terms from different sources were selected, how terms were connected with retrieval of relevant answers, and the sequences in which terms were selected. (Contains 16…

Explores the 1988 "Books in Print Plus" (BIP Plus) CD-ROM database to determine broad characteristics of material currently in print in U.S. book trade in terms of publication year; price; language; and audience, grade level, and illustration. Accuracy and potential of BIP Plus as a tool for generating data and testing hypotheses…

Describes and compares the nine online databases that index the Washington Post. Points of comparison include materials that are excluded from the database, citations to excluded materials, citation formats, search vocabularies and strategies, full-text searching, cross-file searching, and search costs. (5 references) (CLB)

Discusses the results of a survey sent to online searchers in four countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada, to investigate the influence of national culture on information retrieval skills. The survey form provided a sample question and asked searchers to prepare a preliminary search strategy in Sociological…

Reports on searching behavior of humanities scholars who were given unlimited, subsidized access to DIALOG databases. How much searching the scholars did, the kinds of techniques and DIALOG features they used, and their learning curves are analyzed. Search features studied included commands, Boolean logic, types of vocabulary, and proximity…

This third article in a series describes a study that investigated database selection behavior of end-users of the EasyNet Scan feature in the areas of social sciences and arts and humanities. Databases are ranked in order of user selection, and variables that influence file selection are briefly discussed. (Three references) (LRW)

Provides a guide to online search strategies for information about software packages and software reviews, including descriptions of appropriate databases and search access points for databases. (CLB)

Discusses the need for experimental studies with realistic test collections to determine the applicability of advanced information storage and retrieval techniques. The results of studies that compared user reactions to Boolean, extended Boolean, vector, and vector with probabilistic feedback approaches are described. (42 references) (CLB)