Describes the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) experimental Sourcerer project which is developing software to accept a user query, automatically identifying appropriate information resources, and facilitating connection to those sources for information retrieval. Discusses the use of the World Wide Web and the Unified Medical Language System.…

Reports on a study of the size of text windows, defined as a group of words appearing in contiguous position in text, and the effects of varying the window size on information retrieval performance. The characteristics of windows that best match terms in queries are examined in detail. (Contains 10 references.) (KRN)

Proposes an information retrieval system based on a hybrid model consisting of an inductive learning and neural network system. Evaluates the system's responses to incomplete queries and inconsistent indexing. Query terms, discriminant descriptors, and the American Documentation Institute's query and document titles used in the evaluation are…

Describes a software tool that deciphers abbreviations by finding whole-word equivalents or "disabbreviations." Presents results of experimental studies that test the tool's disabbreviation of technical text in computer programs. Findings show that the prototype tool is easy to use, finds correct disabbreviations, improves text…

Discusses the integration of Standard General Markup Language, Hypertext Markup Language, and MARC format to parse classified analytical bibliographies. Use of the resulting electronic knowledge constructs in local library systems as maps of a specified subset of resources is discussed, and an example is included. (LRW)

Text similarity measurements are used to determine relationships between natural-language texts and text excerpts. The resulting linked hypertext maps can be broken down into text segments and themes used to identify different text types and structures, leading to improved information access and utilization. Examples are provided for text…

Parallels between subsistence foraging and scholarly information seeking are described in the context of the World Wide Web. Suggests that the prevailing information retrieval paradigm does not capture the complex of behavior and stimuli that drives scholars' quests for new ideas and insights. Research questions are suggested by extended use of…

Discusses the Center for Electronic Records of the National Archives and Records Administration. Highlights include reference services and access; the Title List database (general access); descriptions and documentation (intermediate access); and copies of electronic records. (AEF)

Presents the results of a comparative evaluation of four CD-ROM retrieval software packages using the Revised Richards-Brown CD-ROM Software Evaluation Model. CD Answer, SPIRS, KAware2, and ROMware are evaluated, and results indicate that SPIRS and CD Answer are the favored packages. (LRW)

Discusses some widely available spatially referenced datasets, including raster and vector datasets. Strategies for improving accessibility include: acquisition of data in a software-dependent format; reorganization of data into logical geographic units; acquisition of intelligent retrieval software; improving computer hardware; and intelligent…

Discussion of indexing moving image documents at the shot level focuses on a study conducted at the National Film Board of Canada. Popular terms supplied by users were compared with terms assigned by professional indexers in the source stockshot collection. Results suggest that indexing images using preiconographic (ofness) and iconographic…

Presents MAC/FAC, a model of similarity-based retrieval that attempts to capture psychological phenomena; discusses its limitations and extensions, its relationship with other retrieval models, and its placement in the context of other work on the nature of similarity. Examines the utility of the model through psychological experiments and…

Describes the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) project and the TEI header, which documents electronic text in a standard interchange format understandable to both librarian catalogers and nonlibrarian text encoders. The form and function of the TEI header is introduced, and its relationship to the MARC record is explained. (10 references) (KRN)

Reviews "robot" search engines specifically developed for information retrieval on the World Wide Web, examines automated and designated robot searching tools, and offers tips to help users judge the usefulness of Web search engines. Discusses sample searches of automated and designated search engines and presents example computer…

Provides an overview of European multimedia imaging projects based in museums, libraries, and other organizations, supported by the European Commission (EC) and the British Library Research and Development Department (BLRDD). EC projects develop the European information market; BLRDD projects address theoretical imaging issues. (JKP)