This investigation concerns the repeated application of the rule "take the sum of the squares of the digits." (MP)

Described is a Fortran computer program for an alternative algorithm for Thurstone's pair comparisons method. This algorithm provides an improved capacity for handling indeterminate proportions of one and zero as well as untruncated estimates of population scale values. (Author/JKS)

Presents a computational study of children's acquisition of word-to-meaning mappings, approximates this task as a mathematical problem, and presents an algorithm for solving the problem, illustrating the algorithm's operation on a small example. Notes that computational simulations demonstrated the robustness of the algorithm and illustrated how…

Shows how to characterize language learning in a finite parameter space, such as in the "principles-and-parameters" approach, as a Markov structure. Explains how sample complexity varies with input distributions and learning regimes. Finds that a simple random-step algorithm always converges to the right target language and works faster than a…

Discussion of automated information services focuses on information classification and collaborative agents, i.e. intelligent computer programs. Highlights include multi-agent systems; distributed artificial intelligence; thesauri; document representation and classification; agent modeling; acquaintances, or remote agents discovered through…

Proposes local similarity pattern (LSP) as a new method for computing digital image similarity. Topics include optimizing similarity computation based on genetic algorithm; relevance feedback; and an evaluation of LSP on five databases that showed an increase in retrieval precision over other methods for computing image similarity. (Author/LRW)

Presents the architecture and algorithms behind Matchsimile, an approximate string matching lookup tool designed for extracting person and company names from large texts. Highlights include name formation rules, defining the search problem, system architecture, recognizing pattern words, recognizing whole patterns, and performance. (Author/MES)

Proposes an approach to incorporate term similarity and inverse document frequency into a logical model of information retrieval. Highlights include document representation and matching; incorporating term similarity into the measure of distance; new algorithms for implementation; inverse document frequency; and logical versus classical models of…

Discussion of knowledge management for electronic data focuses on creating a high quality similarity ranking algorithm. Topics include similarity ranking and unstructured data management; searching, categorization, and summarization of documents; query evaluation; considering sentences in addition to keywords; and vector models. (LRW)

Describes research that examined the feasibility of automatically deriving name access points from machine readable title pages of English language monographs. An algorithm for automatic derivation is presented and results using the algorithm are compared to traditionally cataloged name access points. The implications for bibliographic standards…

Discusses the role of algorithms in the design of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Structural and processing characteristics of algorithms are analyzed, instructional algorithms are explained, empirically based design rules are presented, and the use of instructional algorithms in artificial intelligence is described. (44 references) (LRW)

Presents a model of information retrieval based on plausible inference which suggests that techniques should be found for combining multiple search strategies into an overall assessment of a document's relevance. The results of experiments designed to test this approach using a simple spreading activation search are discussed. (21 references) (CLB)

Five approaches to writing test items with computer assistance are described. A model of knowledge using a set of structures and a system for implementing the scheme are outlined. The approaches include the author-supplied approach, replacement-set procedures, computer-supplied prototype items, subject-matter mapping, and discourse analysis. (TJH)

Describes a system that provides online access to holdings information for more than 4,500 journals on a single self-executing diskette. A brief discussion of data compression is offered, along with program listings in both BASIC and C. (MES)

Reviews the use of signatures to improve the performance of text searching and considers the use of signature trees to further accelerate text searching. Based on the analysis of experimental results, it is concluded that the improvement in text searching performance using signature trees outweighs the increase in required storage. (12 references)…