This presentation at a seminar for library staff and students describes the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system as an information system designed to provide users with ready access to primarily English-language literature dealing with education by establishing a database, publishing abstracting journals, and reproducing…

Counselors and educators face a constant struggle to keep abreast of the vast amounts of new information available, assessing this information, and continuing to gather even more information. Individual's information searching strategies often take considerable time and cause considerable frustration in getting the results wanted. While increasing…

To become efficient Internet searchers, students and teachers need to learn online search skills. Discusses hierarchical subject directories (Yahoo) and search engines (Excite, Lycos, Alta Vista, HotBot); lists top search engines and their universal resource locators (URL). Provides examples of search strings; outlines search tips, and a…

Describes a simple six-step searching model designed to deliver good results without introducing complexities likely to confuse the naive user. The findings of tests that compared the results of the easy search model with expert searches are presented, and conclusions about end user training are discussed. (nine references) (CLB)

A reference guide for online bibliographic searchers introduces and explains the major computer-searchable fields of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database, presents field access labels or commands of three online ERIC database vendors--BRS, DIALOG, and ORBIT--and lists the codes necessary for searching particular ERIC…

This study examined the importance of negative searching, or searching to discover topics not previously explored in writing, and its oversight in the library literature. A survey of university faculty revealed a tendency to view negative searching as necessary to scholarly endeavors, but an online literature search showed little discussion of…

Discusses the problems associated with using connect time as the basis of user fees for searching numeric online databases, and proposes a methodology for user charge estimation based on query formulation and results. (87 references) (CLB)

The purpose of these guidelines is to assist librarians in providing students and faculty with appropriate information about computerized sources of information, particularly national online and compact disc (CD-ROM) databases. The guidelines offer ideas for brief, medium-length, and long presentations on the use of online searches, including…

This document defines and describes electronic databases and provides guidance for organizing a useful database and for selecting hardware and software. Alternatives such as using larger machines are discussed, as are the computer skills necessary to use an electronic database and the use of the computer in the classroom. Files, records, and…

Describes H. W. Wilson's information retrieval system which provides access to such familiar printed indexes as "Social Sciences Index,""Humanities Index,""Education Index," and "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature." Use of this flexible system is explained and illustrated. (CDD)

The article discusses using Boolean logic as a tool for searching computerized information retrieval systems in special education and rehabilitation technology. It includes discussion of the Boolean search operators AND, OR, and NOT; Venn diagrams; and disambiguating parentheses. Six suggestions are offered for development of good Boolean logic…

This guide is a preliminary tool to be used to introduce online ready reference searching of government documents. The first half includes basic guidelines for determining whether a question warrants a ready reference search, selecting appropriate databases, and searching techniques; administrative notes and procedures; and guidelines denoting the…

Designed to assist teachers in teaching introductory courses in searching online databases at the adult or secondary level, this manual discusses very basic searching techniques and strategies and is intended to stimulate further study rather than teach in-depth searching skills. Examples in the manual are taken from databases in the Bibliographic…

Designed to assist teachers in teaching introductory courses in searching online databases at the adult or secondary level, this manual discusses very basic searching techniques and strategies and is intended to stimulate further study rather than teach in-depth searching skills. Examples in the manual are taken from databases in the Bibliographic…

Provides an overview of the development and use of numeric databases, and of the evolution of user charging methods for all online information retrieval systems. The need to provide database users with advance estimates of charges is discussed, and a methodology for charge estimation is presented. (87 references) (CLB)