Describes basic strategy for cocitation searching, i.e., searching for any document citing at least two other specified documents, usually on same topic. Search terms, using combinations for retrieving cocited papers, boundary spanning, retrieving review articles, adding new cited sources to modify strategy, and cited sources/free-text terms are…

Presents survey of two groups of databases covering patent literature: patent literature only and general literature that includes patents relevant to subject area of database. Description of databases and comparison tables for patent and general databases (cost, country coverage, years covered, update frequency, file size, and searchable data…

Eleven free or low-cost databases are described. Services, current costs, and (when applicable) address and telephone number are provided for Data-Net, GTE Telenet, General Videotex's Delphi Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Awareness database, Alternative Fuels Data Bank, Searchmart's software library, National Meteorological…

Outlines traditional and nontraditional information services developed at a large, highly diversified firm to exploit power and value of online databases and support goals of the Independent Searching Program. Highlights include awareness, set-up and vendor selection; training and continuing support; local database building; electronic search…

Discusses Magazine Index's practice of assigning letter grades (sometimes inaccurate) to book, restaurant, and movie reviews, thus allowing patrons to get the point of the review from the index rather than the article itself, and argues that this situation is indicative of the larger problem of reliability of abstracts. (MBR)

Discusses properties of multiple attribute tree (MAT) and inverted file structures; establishes suitability of MAT data structure for bibliographic files using worst-case performance measures; provides arguments to establish MAT average case superiority; and proposes an efficient adaptation of MAT data structure to exploit special features of MAT…

Developed by the Sperry Corporation, MAPPER is an interactive report processing system that uses simple English-language commands. The system is used by departments at the State University of New York at Albany to access institutional data. (MLF)

Describes the uses of Lotus 1-2-3 (a spreadsheet-graphics-database program created by Lotus Development Corporation) and Symphony 1.1 (a refinement and expansion of Symphony 1.01 providing memory efficiency, speed, ease of use, greater file compatibility). Spreadsheet and graphics capabilities, the use of windows, database environment, and…

Examines the implications of electronic networking and database services for adult learners. Explores the feasibility and ramifications of electronic networking and communication with other students and with faculty in a computer network and the implications of being able to access elaborate databases in conducting research, writing essays, or…

Discusses the use of computerized information retrieval systems in community college settings, focusing on the Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS) system. Provides an overview of BRS's 70 databases, searching procedures, costs uses, and limiting factors in information retrieval system use at two-year colleges. (DMM)

Emphasizes class maintenance of National Library of Medicine's bibliographic retrieval file in which maintenance actions (replacement, deletion, addition) reflect yearly changes in Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). File maintenance of other authoritative information attached to headings, class maintenance failures, checking class maintenance,…

Presents a preliminary analysis of differences between Disclosure II and Predicasts Annual Reports Abstracts (databases which provide online company information) as available from DIALOG Information Retrieval Services. Sources of online information, duplication of information, company coverage, currency of coverage, accuracy of coverage, and…

Reviews the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, an online special database of the Research Libraries Information Network that analyzes the contents of journals, listing only those articles dealing with architecture. Access and fees, access points, browsing, and search strategies are covered and examples are given. (EJS)

This paper discusses examples of searching vocabularies, i.e., lists of terms which have been prepared with the online searcher, rather than the indexer, in mind. These lists are categorized as: enhanced thesauri or subject heading lists, synonym listings, index term listings, and merged vocabularies. Eight references are provided. (EJS)

Discusses database management systems for special needs student information management. Considers data access policies, implementation, software selection criteria, and special needs related uses. (SK)