A semantic differential scale, designed to assess users' attitudes toward batch mode retrieval of the ERIC data base, grouped ten concepts and matched them with 16 adjective pairs. Although response was somewhat low, concepts and adjective pairs were clustered. (Author/KP)

This paper provides a portrayal of Z39.50 (a communications protocol that enables two systems to exchange messages for the purpose of information retrieval) that explains its flexibility in response to a variety of information retrieval requirements in the networked environment. The first section presents an overview of Z39.50, including the…

This paper provides background on building the "Connecticut Digital Gazetteer." The paper begins by describing primary research initiatives, including a 1998 workshop convened by the National Academy of Science's Mapping Science Committee to build a national vision of a geolibrary and a 1999 workshop at the Smithsonian Institution to…

A high degree of constancy has been found in the microstructure of titles of samples of the INSPEC data base taken over a three-year period. Character and digram frequencies are relatively stable, while variable-length character-strings characterizing samples separated by three years in time show close similarities. (2 references) (Author/SJ)

The inverse relationship of recall and precision is not a fundamental law. It must not be used as an excuse for failing to bring about any overall improvement in the performance of information retrieval systems (12 references) (Author/NH)

The author emphasized that one cannot conclude from the experiments reported upon that term clusters (or equivalently, keyword classifications or thesauruses) are not useful in retrieval. (2 references) (Author)

The simulation model described is used as a tool for designing and evaluating literature search systems. The simulation program creates a well specified collection of documents and analyzes the effect of charges in query file characteristics on system output performance. (14 references) (Author/KE)

A preliminary investigation which revealed the omission of four full length articles on rheumatology from Index Medicus'' is reported upon. Further investigations are in progress and will be reported at a later date. (Author/SJ)

Patents are clustered by similar cited-by" patterns using MacQueen's algorithm. The clusters are enriched by the addition of citing patents. These maximally connected clusters, or cliques, form the classification. (27 references) (Author)

The various applications of the Agricultural System for Storage and Subsequent Selection of Information (ASSASSIN) are outlined and the ways a single package may be used complete, or in part, or with modification are shown. (2 references) (Author/NH)

The authors advocate a systematic procedure involving the identification of: fixed parameters, variable options for each variable parameter, factors affecting a choice among available options, factors affected by a choice among available options, and the optimum sequence in which decisions should be made during the design process. (Author/MF)

The main conclusions are: the human factor appears to be the main variable in all components of an information retrieval system; length of indexes affects performance considerably more than indexing languages; question analysis and search strategies affect performance to a great extent - as much, if not more than indexing. (Author/MF)

A procedure for producing a Key-Word-Out-of-Context (KWOC) alerting tool for a specific field of information as a temporary alternative to computerization. (Author/AB)

The complete report, ERIC document ED 022 494, is abstracted in the February 1969 "Research in Education.