Several computer simulation models of memory represent human knowledge in terms of labeled networks of interconnected ideas. This article attempted to learn in such models how these networks are searched to retrieve relevant information. (Author/RK)

Search strategies and library reference materials are suggested for retrieving literature on general business topics, industries, and specific companies. Guidelines provided for each area include getting an overview through general sources, finding books and periodical and newspaper articles, and locating statistics. Reference materials listed…

The workshop is intended for individual or group use to understand the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and the Exceptional Child Education Resources (ECER) databases as a way of finding information on special education topics. Information products available from ERIC and The Council for Exceptional Children (which maintains the…

Prepared for students who participate in the California State University Long Beach (CSULB) Library Instruction Program (LIP), this document is both a working syllabus for classroom use and an outline of the lecture presentations given by librarian instructors, though it can also be used as a reference guide to review library research methods,…

This self-improvement manual developed for experienced online searchers presents and discusses several alternative search strategies and their appropriate use to achieve the desired outcome. The manual is divided into two parts: (1) an eight step model of the total search process emphasizing how the decision of the information professional affects…

Problems which frustrate and hinder training in data base use for personnel employed in biomedical libraries include the ever increasing number of data bases which continue to be introduced, search techniques that differ from vendor to vendor and data base to data base, and differing formats of data bases and their training manuals. Training…

The results of personal interviews with 18 of the more experienced online searchers in Washington State are presented. A profile of respondents determines the experience of each in searching in years, number of searches per month, vendors used, and most used data bases. This information is used to analyze the answers given to questions about the…

This report presents an analysis of the search query arguments of several major bibliographic utilities and shows the commonalities and differences of the query structure among the various systems. The report illustrates a symbolic metalanguage that was developed to describe and compare the search arguments. In addition, status and error messages…

This study of ranking algorithms used in a Boolean environment is based on an evaluation of factors affecting document ranking by information retrieval systems. The algorithms were decomposed into term weighting schemes and similarity measures, representatively selected from those known to exist in information retrieval environments, before being…

This study evaluated online searching performed on the National Library of Medicine system to identify implications for training and continuing education. Searchers were selected with formal and informal training, from three different types of organization, and with differing levels of experience. It was found that most searchers have clearly…

Modeled on public databases such as Lockheed and SDC, the information system described in this report was utilized in the creation of in-house databases in the Mobay Chemical Corporation's special library in Pittsburgh. Using IBM's Storage and Information Retrieval System (STAIRS), Mobay created two databases: one to hold product information, the…

The online catalog discussed in this report extends the present microfiche union catalog development by providing online access to bibliographic records for the holdings of the University of California Libraries. The specifications for the user interface through which the library patron communicates with the online systems to locate materials are…

The ideal traits for an online searcher, as identified in studies by online vendors and suppliers, are discussed: (1) curiosity and a desire to learn, (2) adaptability, (3) comfortableness with the machine interaction process, (4) ability to cope with instances of system failure, (5) patience and persistence, and (6) a logical, thorough,…

A training and reference tool for searchers in the Preorder Section of Cornell's Olin Library Acquisitions Department, this manual establishes the rationale for searching operations and includes illustrations as well as detailed explanations of searching procedures and problems. The information given applies only to the searching of monographs,…

The Florida R & D Utilization Project has two major goals: to provide schools with access to the best available R & D products and practices to resolve local needs, and to assist schools in developing a capacity for diagnosing and resolving instructional and other problems. This paper describes the 7-step conceptual model that governs the…