The Multifile Multidisciplinary (Horizontal) Search approach — justification and principles

Abstract

The Multifile Multidisciplinary (Horizontal) Search (MMS) approach to searching online databases, is characterised by the use of an especially large number of files spanning a wide variety of disciplines, provided by any given vendor, in order to solve a given information problem. This is in contrast to the traditional ‘vertical’ search approach, which emphasises file specialisation and searching in a small number of files; tens to hundreds of files may be used when implementing the MMS approach. In addition MMS enables the development of new information ‘products’, maximal use of a vendor's database, identification of the files best suited for initial searching and hard‐to‐locate sources of data and information.

Citation

Bar, J. (1988), "The Multifile Multidisciplinary (Horizontal) Search approach — justification and principles", Online Review, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb024265