Describes the "Rutgers Inventory of Machine-Readable Texts in the Humanities" that provides bibliographic information through RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network) for electronic texts in the humanities. Highlights include adaptation of MARC format; access points; search strategies; and unresolved issues in the bibliographic…

Presents a comparative analysis of electronic access to theses and dissertations through CitaDel and FirstSearch. Highlights include the effectiveness and ease of use in providing enduser access; strengths and weaknesses of searching capabilities; coverage; pricing; and examples of direct retrieval comparison. (LRW)

Presents the following steps for simplifying students' online information searches: (1) identifying the problem, (2) selecting the appropriate database, (3) brainstorming keywords, (4) searching by subject or keyword, (5) refining the search, and (6) evaluating the search and planning a new strategy. A sidebar provides a search strategy worksheet.…

Reports on an exploratory study which used tracking records and evaluation questionnaires to examine the ways students use a hypermedia system. Findings in the following areas are discussed: enjoyment, ease of use, perception of system control, actual search strategies, perceived purposive search strategies, and effectiveness of search strategies.…

Explains how to use electronic mail (e-mail) through INTERNET to deliver the results of online searching on DIALOG. Topics discussed include options for delivering search results, including delivery time and charges; limitations of direct e-mail delivery; where results can be sent; and costs, including savings in staff time. (two references) (LRW)

Describes a study that was conducted to explore the potential of text analysis as a tool in full-text search and design improvement. A review of pertinent literature is included, and a trial analysis performed in the domain of family history literature is described. (Contains 49 references.) (LRW)

Presents a dBASE III searching/micro tip that will reveal whether any journals listed within a capture log file are in local holdings. An example gives the commands needed to use the ISSN field in the citations to search a local holdings database. (DB)

The role of a subject's conceptual knowledge in the procedural task of searching a text for information was studied for 51 college undergraduates in 2 experiments involving knowledge of anatomy. Students with more anatomical information were able to search a text more quickly. Educational implications are discussed. (SLD)

Literature showing the disadvantages of Boolean logic in online searching is reviewed, and research comparing the Filter/Flow visual interface (i.e., a graphical representation of Boolean operators) with a text-only interface is described. A significant difference in the total number of correct queries is reported that favored Filter/Flow. (16…

Shows how online content analysis can be used to measure the frequencies and contexts of issues that advertisers circulate to major media markets. An example of a study of word strings of advertising slogans, a description of the benchmarks of successful sloganeering, and strategies for planning a study are described. (KRN)

These two articles discuss search strategies and the selection of databases. The first examines database selection when recommended database indicators are changed and database names are expanded in the EasyNet system; and the second discusses multifile searching versus single file searching in terms of success rates for novice users and cost…

Notes that researchers miss useful references because of unsystematic methodology and because on-going efforts at systematic bibliography have not utilized some key resources. Argues that, although no combination of available resources guarantees comprehensive bibliographic coverage for technical communication, composition, or rhetoric,…

Identifies and describes online databases containing references to materials on artificial intelligence, robotics, and expert systems, and compares them in terms of scope and usage. Recommendations for conducting online searches on artificial intelligence and related fields are offered. (CLB)

Describes a search strategy method for bibliographic instruction in academic libraries that includes the major types of bibliographic tools and the prescribed sequence in which to use them. The strategy begins with dictionaries and encyclopedias, progresses through bibliographies and subject guides, and ends with periodicals and books. (five…

Discusses bibliographic instruction in academic libraries as an appropriate teaching strategy to encourage and reinforce the development of critical thinking in the college curriculum. Theories about critical thinking are examined, and an example of how bibliographic instruction is related to critical thinking in a course at North Park College is…