Information science is a young and rapidly growing field, embracing a wide range of subjects and activities. The conference, in ten technical sessions, attempted to cover various aspects of information work. The areas covered were: information analysis and information analysis centers; retrieval of information; selection, education and training of…

Discusses the overlap of research in artificial intelligence and information retrieval, focusing on the papers included in this special issue of Information Processing and Management. Highlights include the emphasis on evaluation and testing in prior research and use of manual and automatic indexing, expert systems, knowledge representation, and…

A comparative evaluation of two computerized reference retrieval systems, INSTRUCT (a statistically-based system) and PLEXUS (a knowledge-based system) examined their retrieval effectiveness for a set of 19 queries and 512 documents on gardening. Best results were obtained by using terms suggested by PLEXUS as the basis for an INSTRUCT search. (36…

Discussion of a new method of index term dictionary compression in an inverted-file-oriented database highlights a technique of word coding, which generates short fixed-length codes obtained from the index terms themselves by analysis of monogram and bigram statistical distributions. Substantial savings in communication channel utilization are…

Based on systematic observations of five experienced online searchers, this model compares two searching styles: operationalist, which aims at optimal strategies to achieve precise retrieval and uses a large range of system capabilities, and conceptualist, which analyzes the request by seeking to fit it into a faceted structure. (13 references)…

The Hepatitis Knowledge Base (text of prototype information system) was used for modifying and testing "A Navigator of Natural Language Organized (Textual) Data" (ANNOD), a retrieval system which combines probabilistic, linguistic, and empirical means to rank individual paragraphs of full text for similarity to natural language queries…

Describes research which measured the efficiency of role operators through frequency of appearances in PRECIS input strings for 200 abstracts related to taxation, genetic psychology, and Shakespearian drama. Frequencies of appearance of major categories of role operators, role operators in different subjects, individual main line operators, and…

Reports on axiomatic approach to systems design that has emanated from documentation work in field of chemistry and closely related disciplines. It is based on five axioms: definability, order, sufficient degree of order, representational predictability, and representational fidelity. Mandatory indexing is discussed; a glossary is appended. (106…

Discusses alternatives to the Boolean system that would enable users of online bibliographic databases--primarily those containing scientific and technical information--to obtain their required level of performance at lowest cost. Highlights include recall and precision factors (natural and controlled language, titles, abstracts, quorum function)…

Presents decision-theoretic models which intrinsically include retrieval of multiple documents whereby system responds to request by presenting documents to patron in sequence, gathering feedback, and using information to modify future retrievals. Document independence model, set retrieval model, sequential retrieval model, learning model,…

Evaluates overlapping coverage of 21 scientific databases used in 10 online pesticide searches in an attempt to identify minimum number of databases needed to generate 90 percent of unique, relevant citations for given search. Comparison of searches combined under given pesticide usage (herbicide, fungicide, insecticide) is discussed. Nine…

Discusses information retrieval techniques involving both Boolean retrieval schemes and a weighting mechanism to produce ranked search output and points out theoretical ambiguities and inconsistencies demonstrated by recent research. An alternative search approach is outlined and analyzed and a more rigorous methodology is suggested. Eleven…

Six uses of classification in online retrieval systems are envisioned--to improve recall and precision; to conceptualize meaning of vague search terms; to provide structure for browsing; to provide framework for retrieval of nonbibliographic information; to collocate citations; and to achieve compatibility of retrieval languages. Seven sources are…

Presents information retrieval design approach in which queries of computer-based system consist of sets of terms, either unweighted or weighted with subjective term precision estimates, and retrieval outputs ranked by probability of usefulness estimated by "maximum entropy principle." Boolean and weighted request systems are discussed.…

The low rate of relevant titles (fewer than 50 percent) retrieved by online searching of keywords in titles in study conducted at the Mechanized Information Center, Ohio State University, is attributed to three sources: titles themselves, user ignorance of subject vocabulary, and general language problems. Eight references are cited. (EJS)