Discusses the basic principles of the application of microfilm (analog) and electronic (digital) technologies for data storage. Image quality is examined, searching and retrieval capabilities are considered, and hardcopy output resolution is described. It is concluded that microfilm is still the preferred archival medium. (5 references) (LRW)

Examines the similarities, differences, and full-text features of the three most-used online systems for full-text searching in general libraries: DIALOG, Data-Star, and NEXIS. Overlapping databases, unique sources, search features, proximity operators, set building, language enhancement and word equivalencies, and display features are discussed.…

Reports on a survey which assessed automated authority control capabilities of 18 vendors' automated library systems, software, or services. Graphs rank vendors according to overall score, authority record source, format/storage of authority records, database dynamics, matching/linking authority and bibliographic records, syndetic structure,…

Describes a relational data model that can be used for knowledge representation and manipulation in rule-based medical consultation systems. Fuzzy queries or attribute values and fuzzy set theory are discussed, functional dependencies are described, and an example is presented of a system for diagnosing causes of eye inflammation. (15 references)…

Provides an overview of indexing in database management systems to provide librarians with more understanding of the possibilities and limitations of current information systems. Sequential, direct, indexed sequential, and virtual sequential file accessing methods are explained, and various binary tree structures are described. (EAM)

Describes Web versions of online systems and considers advantages and trade-offs for information professionals and other searchers. Web versions highlighted include Dow Jones Interactive; Dialog; LEXIS-NEXIS; and STN. (LRW)

Describes the Web presence in print advertisements to determine how marketers are creating bridges between traditional advertising and the Internet. Content analysis showed Web addresses in print ads; categories of advertisers most likely to link print ads with Web sites; and whether the Web site attempts to develop a database of potential…

Presents "Islands," an interactive graphical interface for construction, modification, and management of queries during a search session on a bibliographic database. Discusses motivation and bibliographic search semantics and compares the Islands interface to the Dialog interface. (Author/LRW)

Proposes a general stopword list and a simple stemming procedure that can be used to adapt search mechanisms for French-language databases. Describes document-retrieval experiments with French test collections aimed at improving retrieval effectiveness. (LRW)

Rough set theory is a new mathematical tool to deal with vagueness and uncertainty. Computational methods are presented for using rough sets to identify classes in datasets, finding dependencies in relations, and discovering rules which are hidden in databases. The methods are illustrated with a running example from a database of car test results.…

Describes the early stages of development of the Campbell Collaboration Social, Psychological, Educational & Criminological Trials Register (C2-SPECTR) to help those preparing and maintaining systematic reviews of experiments in these fields. The register currently contains more than 10,000 records, including more than 300 references to existing…

Explains the origin of the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) commissioned papers that appear in this journal issue that assess the ERIC program. Discusses the need to unify the system by transforming the database into a knowledge base with a unified metadata framework that would include a variety of multimedia materials. (LRW)

Nursing students (n=92) recorded skills and behavior in the Essential Clinical Behavior database, then requested clinical assignments to perform nursing behaviors. Analysis using the theory of planned behavior indicated that attitude and subjective norm influenced intention to ask for assignments. Control beliefs had a negative impact on…

Shows that for the database in this study, analogy correctly assigns Spanish stress in 94% of the instances and is able to thresh out significant sub-patterns in Spanish stress placement without resorting to rules or schemas. (Author/VWL)

Discussion of methodologies for the semantic integration of databases focuses on formalizing the notion of schema equivalence and the schema integration process. Topics include common data model; the Entity-Relationship (ER)model; transformation of ER models; transformational, mapping, and behavioral schema equivalence; and knowledge-based…