Describes a study that analyzed transaction logs of a search assignment conducted on MEDLINE by medical students at the University of Michigan. The relationship between levels of search experience and search skills, clinical knowledge, search outcome, and subsequent use level are examined. (Contains 21 references.) (LRW)

Two studies of the cognitive processes involved in online document-based information retrieval were conducted. These studies led to the development of five computational models of online document retrieval which were incorporated into the design of an "intelligent" document-based retrieval system. Both the system and the broader implications of…

Discusses features of online public access catalogs: (1) demonstration of relationships between records; (2) provision of entry vocabularies; (3) arrangement of multiple entries on the screen; (4) provision of access points; (5) display of single records; and (6) division of catalogs into separate files or indexes. User studies and other research…

Reports on a study of 203 title pages as the source of information for descriptive cataloging, and bibliographic data on title pages as written artifacts having their own visual characteristics. Frame structure representations at various levels of abstraction are suggested for a prototype title page, and expert systems for descriptive cataloging…

Four articles discuss (1) the role of the Bureau of the Census depository library program; (2) the history of the Federal Information Locator System (FILS) and a vision of the future for FILS; (3) design criteria for creating a governmentwide information inventory/locator system; and (4) the potential for developing electronic census products. (SD)

The fourth in a series of articles on the evaluation of microcomputer software for information storage and retrieval, conducted by the Netherlands Association of Users of Online Information Systems (VOGIN), presents test results for six indexing and full-text retrieval programs--Ask-It, KAware, Texplore, TextMaster, WordCruncher, and ZYindex. (13…

Discusses information retrieval standards as tools for interoperability among systems and traces the development of de jure and de facto standards in the U.S. and international telecommunications environment. Implementation of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) and Z39.50 standards is described. (EA)

Describes research using students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that investigated the ways in which different levels of knowledge about a topic can affect search strategies in an online public access catalog. Previous research is reviewed, and implications for information intermediaries and designers of information retrieval…

Discusses applications of optical technology, especially CD-ROMs, to information management needs. Information retrieval problems are discussed; design questions that concern the format of the data, indexing methods, and retrieval capabilities are presented; the need for updates is considered; access requirements are discussed; and the importance…

Gifted and talented fifth and sixth grade students participating in Montana's Future Problem Solving Program are developing their information retrieval skills as they use electronic equipment to retrieve research literature and use a hypercard authoring system to record and manipulate their findings. (JDD)

Discussion of automated indexing techniques focuses on ways to statistically document improvements in the development of an automated keywording system over time. The system developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to automate the storage, categorization, and retrieval of information from military exercises is explained, and performance measures are…

Presents an approach to developing viable image computer-human interactions (CHI) involving user metaphors for comprehending image data and methods for locating, accessing, and displaying computer images. A medical-image radiology workstation application is used as an example, and feedback and evaluation methods are discussed. (41 references) (LRW)

Explores the current status of technological support for qualitative research. Describes the development of computer programs that support the qualitative process. Focuses on Metamorph, an innovative text-retrieval software tool that quickly scans documents, manuals, and unstructured records to find information. (KS)

Focuses on access to digital image collections by means of manual and automatic indexing. Contains six sections: (1) Studies of Image Systems and their Use; (2) Approaches to Indexing Images; (3) Image Attributes; (4) Concept-Based Indexing; (5) Content-Based Indexing; and (6) Browsing in Image Retrieval. Contains 105 references. (AEF)

Reviews the literature on the content aspects of database quality, specifically scope, composition, currency, accuracy, consistency, completeness, and source, journal, geographic, language, and time-period coverage. These criteria can be evaluated qualitatively and/or quantitatively to determine the profile of a database, and to ascertain search…