This guide to searching the Internet, designed for educators at all levels, begins with a section that discusses reasons for using new technologies. The second section is an introduction to the Internet that provides activities for determining if an Internet site meets its objective, the site's relevance to what is being taught, the educator's…

This report presents the following five instructional objectives tailored to meet the goal of preparing Adelphi University (New York) freshman to become independent learners and information literate: (1) students will be introduced to the services and resources of the university libraries; (2) students will understand the role of the librarian as…

Finding statistics and materials on adult, career, and career-technical education can be a complex and time consuming task, so this brief includes a variety of resources designed to help searchers find information and also suggests specific actions searchers may take, including the following: (1) talking with colleagues about their search…

This workbook for a library and information skills course at the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa campus, contains the following sections: (1) syllabus; (2) tentative course outline; (3) statement of the course goal, general objectives, and objectives related to LC (Library of Congress) classification and the online catalog, dictionaries…

This digest is designed to aid those wishing to learn more about how to use information technology to access electronic education resources. Starting points for locating magazines and journals online are summarized; suggested strategies include visiting the World Wide Web sites of journal publishers, using search engines, and accessing virtual…

Survey report of how practitioners in four professions (accounting, architecture, psychology, recreation/tourism) looked for information, with a goal of improving library instruction programs at Arizona State University. Data support the necessity of information skills for those entering the professions; suggest that instruction be…

A study evaluated the process of training teachers to use an interactive multimedia package for classroom instruction in ecology. Ways in which teachers assessed relevant printed text and hypertext information were mapped and analyzed. Search patterns were classified into two cognitive strategies (sequential, goal oriented). Sequential strategies…

A study investigated the effectiveness of combined lecture and computer demonstration to train third-year pharmacy students (n=48) in computerized information retrieval. Results show the method to be effective in helping students translate Boolean logic into search strategies. The importance of improving pharmacy students' literature retrieval…

Reports on a collaboration between academic teaching staff who coordinate an undergraduate foundation course in computers and society at the University of South Australia. Highlights include information literacy and lifelong learning; the combination of face-to-face and online instruction; links from the portal; student assessment; search…

British and American information science textbooks present keyword and controlled vocabulary searching in different ways, and put differing emphases on the use of variant spellings and word variations. This reflects the differing ways that information professionals prepare online search strategies. Differences may reflect occupational trends,…

Presents longitudinal case studies of four students in high school and after completion of college to compare their perceptions of the information search process in libraries. Library user studies are discussed, a model of the search process is described, and implications for the design of information systems are suggested. (36 references) (LRW)

Describes a study that used a mental models perspective to examine the search behaviors of gifted elementary school children searching a full text electronic encyclopedia. The discussion covers analyses of search patterns used, differences between younger and older searchers, suggestions for systems design, and needed further research. (39…

Discusses the need for library science to examine users' search behaviors in the context of social cognition and creative problem solving. Topics covered include the psychology of search behavior, problem solving approaches to library instruction in online searching, and problem solving protocols. (29 references) (CLB)

Discussion of precision in information retrieval highlights a prototype online catalog, ILSA (Improving Library Subject Access), developed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania that uses subject clusters and classification. Topics addressed include problems with keyword searching, controlled vocabulary, and thesauri; natural language mapping…

Discusses ways in which academic and public librarians can provide help with multicultural and international topics in spite of unhelpful subject headings and weak collections, including an awareness of cultural bias; collection policies to support diversity; relearning the collections and access strategies; and restructuring reference searches.…