Examines a number of searches dealing with the synthesis of organic compounds which the author performed on CA CONDENSATES and CASIA data bases (on DIALOG) at the request of users. Results show that a combined use provides the users with a more satisfying result even if the larger output contains some undesired citations. (JD)

Compares four full text periodical databases to one another and to traditional online databases in terms of the types of information available, the number of titles available, coverage of periodical contents, timeliness, and search features. (CLB)

Describes a study evaluating the effectiveness of the Information Retrieval, Ltd. (IRL) Life Sciences Collection database in a field where BioSciences Information Service (BIOSIS) claims to offer comprehensive coverage of the international literature. The two databases are described, and the depth of controlled indexing is compared for the two

Describes the decisions involved in an online environmental literature search of COMPENDEX and ENVIROLINE databases when considering free text or controlled vocabulary searching techniques. Topics covered are scope, concept identification, database choice, planning search strategy, and changing tactics during the search. Appendix contains examples…

Outlines practical searching techniques in seven core behavioral science databases accessing psychological literature: Psychological Abstracts, Social Science Citation Index, Biosis, Medline, Excerpta Medica, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC. Use of individual files is discussed and their relative strengths/weaknesses are compared. Appended is a list…

Discusses and differentiates between four commercially available versions of the online source of chemistry information, "Chemical Abstracts": Lockheed, SDC, BRS, and NLM. Disadvantages/advantages of the vendors are considered, and tables are used to show the different print formats and data elements of each version. (JD)

Examines the strengths and weaknesses of the three chemical dictionary files now available online--CHEMNAME, CHEMDEX, CHEMLINE--to aid the searcher in selecting the most appropriate database. (Author/JD)

A comparison of the Magazine Index (MI) and the New York Times Information Bank (IB) showed the two data bases have little in common, mainly due to differences in focus, indexing, vocabulary, use online, and output. For business and government users, IB is the best choice; for more general and academic purposes, MI provides access to more…

Addresses the problem of overlap between the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Psychological Abstracts data bases, especially in areas of educational psychology. The article compares costs and article selection and offers guidelines for searchers based on duplication from test searches. (JD)

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…

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…

Provides an overview of robots that retrieve World Wide Web documents and index data and then store it in a database. Nine robot-generated databases are described, including record content, services, search features, and sample search results; and sidebars discuss the controversy about Web robots and other resource discovery tools. (LRW)

Reviews two databases covering state and federal legislation--Electronic Legislative Search System and Legi-Slate--by comparing database coverage, documentation and training, pricing, and evaluation. Three additional databases offered by Public Affairs Information, S & FA Reporting Services, and Legislex are mentioned. Five sources are given. (EJS)

This second of a three-part series compares search features (i.e., truncation symbols, boolean operators, proximity operators, phrase searching, save searches) of two databases providing legal information. Search tips concerning charges and effective searching and tables listing functions of commands and proximity operators for both databases are…

Evaluates these two bibliographic databases for geosciences information in terms of their content coverage, search methodologies, user effort, and analysis of results. (SW)