Defines information tectonics as the organizing of information in structures and good information tectonics as being adapted to the needs of the user. Topics discussed include the influence of electronic information technology and electronic databases; hypertext; hierarchical information structures; cross-graining, e.g., the Dewey Decimal system;…

Describes a project that improved the quality of BCIN, the bibliographic database of the Conservation Information Network, by correcting data fields and removing duplicate records. The database is described, deduplication theory is discussed and relevant literature is reviewed, algorithm development and testing is described, and results of…

Discussion of individual rights and privacy in Japan focuses on the Privacy Protection Act, which acknowledges the threat posed by government databases to the individual's right of privacy. Characteristics of the Japanese legal system are described, origins of privacy in Japanese law are examined, and privacy and government databases are…

Describes a general framework for the evaluation of sets of links for user navigation between images in pictorial data banks and gives an example of the construction of a connection graph in a large image bank. A study of user navigation behavior in this set of links is described and the results are discussed. (18 references) (LAE)

Describes the Perseus project, a hypertext database of textual and visual materials for the study of classical Greek civilization. The anticipated needs of users are considered; current and potential capabilities of information technology are discussed; and the selection, organization, and presentation of materials are described. (seven…

Office professionals (n=490) completed a questionnaire related to their familiarity with database software, availability and type of database software used, how the software package was learned, frequency of use, features and applications used, and type of information stored. Findings show that database software is quickly becoming commonplace,…

Provides critical reviews of four online databases: (1) Quotations Database, available through DIALOG and CompuServe; (2) Consumer Reports, through Prodigy, CompuServe, and Nexis; (3) HealthNet, from CompuServe; and (4) encyclopedias through America Online, CompuServe, GEnie, and DELPHI. Special features of access techniques or content of the…

Describes a simple method to enhance the teaching of protein structures and function by analyzing amino acid sequences using word processing programs. (ZWH)

Discusses vendor approval plans for library collection development and describes uses of various vendor plans by public libraries. Opening day collection services are described, vendor's book inventory databases are explained, title selection and the use of book reviews is discussed, and problems with out-of-print titles are considered. (LRW)

Traces the increasing use of databases and computerized records of government agencies in newsrooms during the 1980s. Reports on a national survey showing that most journalism education programs do not prepare students to use these rich sources of information now routinely used in the newsroom. (SR)

This guide to searching for special education information in the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database covers: selecting a search system, using the "Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors," using Boolean logic, planning the search, and using the ERIC Clearinghouses as resources. (DB)

In a pilot project, computer-assisted bibliographic retrieval from MEDLINE was taught to an entire entering medical school class (n=112), followed by incorporation of a MEDLINE searching exercise into an early phase of the curriculum and monitoring of subsequent spontaneous use. The method was seen as useful and effective. (Author/MSE)

This symposium issue presents nine articles that discuss the U.S. Air Force STINFO (Scientific and Technical Information) Program, which was developed to improve the effectiveness of collecting and disseminating scientific and technical information concerning Department of Defense, Army, Navy, and Air Force research and engineering efforts. (LRW)

Discussion of the role of Boolean logic in the information retrieval process focuses on a study that investigated the optimization of search logic for the MEDLINE database. Measures of retrieval effectiveness are discussed, the relationship of weighting schema and the logical schema is considered, and further investigations are suggested. (17…

Discusses ways in which using mathematical symbols to search online bibliographic databases in scientific and technical areas can improve search results. The representations used for Greek letters, relations, binary operators, arrows, and miscellaneous special symbols in the MathSci, Inspec, Compendex, and Chemical Abstracts databases are…