Describes a series of studies conducted to determine how ERIC online searchers were using free and controlled vocabulary in their search statements and to understand relevance implications of the resultant differences. (SW)

Explores the effects on relevance concerns in traditional online search strategies caused by ranking retrieved documents. Two extreme examples are presented to illustrate the impact of ranking; advantages and limitations of ranking are discussed. (SW)

Over 53 percent of 159 NASA-Small Business Administration clients and industrial clients, surveyed for dollar costs and benefits of online computerized literature searches, identified dollar benefits. A direct ratio between benefits derived and client dollars invested, averaging 2.9 to 1, was demonstrated. Data tables are presented. (Author/JD)

A study of patron use of the University of Illinois online circulation system (LCS) found that 56 percent of original known item searches and 86 percent of location searches were successful, and that graduate students use the system very differently from the way undergraduates use it. (FM)

Intended for novice searchers, this review of available materials comments on availability and cost, as well as the relationship between the search materials and the topic area of the file or the organizational type of the producer. An extensive bibliography is provided. (SW)

Reports the results of a study that examined four databases, AGRICOLA, BIOSIS, CAB, and SCISEARCH, to determine their overlap with regard to agricultural and forestry literature. Relative strengths and weaknesses were assessed concerning subject coverage, timeliness, and searching capabilities. (Author)

Describes large scale experiments to test the value of index term weighting based on relevance information, and presents results showing that weighting leads to remarkable improvements in retrieval performance. (Author/CWM)

Describes a model of an information retrieval system based on a thesaurus with weights. Appropriate terms are defined, and inclusiveness and two other fundamental properties of the system are presented. (CWM)

Provides an overview of a training program for online searching used by the University of California's Computerized Information Services (CIS), focusing on database training through workshops and seminars. (FM)

Comparisons and advantages of using a printer versus on line cataloging are presented, with statistics of title percentage from search procedures. (Author/KP)

When helping undergraduates assess materials, academic librarians balance the reference interview with instruction in electronic databases. This article describes a method connecting these tasks with a search strategy dependent on the user's information needs. The connection is made by labeling the user's need with a diagnostic tool based on…

Suggests a new ranking scheme especially adapted for hypertext environments in order to produce more effective retrieval results and still use Boolean search strategies. Topics include Boolean ranking schemes; single-term indexing and term weighting; fuzzy set theory extension; and citation indexing. (64 references) (Author/LRW)

Examines traditional and interactive models that have emerged in information retrieval (IR), and proposes an interactive IR model based on different levels in the interactive processes. Analyzes strengths and weaknesses of the traditional model. Concludes with general remarks on the state of IR interaction research. (Author/AEF)

This report on the Getty Online Searching Project, which studied the end-user searching behavior of 27 humanities scholars over a 2-year period, focuses on previous familiarity with retrieved documents. Topics include document familiarity and relevance; document familiarity and information retrieval; measuring retrieval success; and document…

Online searchers waste time and money if they log on without first reading help files and database descriptions; determining search goals; tailoring the search to fit needs; choosing the best source; keeping an open mind for search alternatives; considering other keyword search formulations; and knowing the online system tricks and tools. (PEN)