Search results

The following bibliography focuses mainly on programs which can run on IBM microcomputers and compatibles under the operating system PC DOS/MS DOS, and which can be used in online information and documentation work. They fall into the following categories:

There is a huge amount of information and data stored in publicly available online databases that consist of large text files accessed by Boolean search techniques. It is widely held that less use is made of these databases than could or should be the case, and that one reason for this is that potential users find it difficult to identify which databases to search, to use the various command languages of the hosts and to construct the Boolean search statements required. This reasoning has stimulated a considerable amount of exploration and development work on the construction of search interfaces, to aid the inexperienced user to gain effective access to these databases. The aim of our paper is to review aspects of the design of such interfaces: to indicate the requirements that must be met if maximum aid is to be offered to the inexperienced searcher; to spell out the knowledge that must be incorporated in an interface if such aid is to be given; to describe some of the solutions that have been implemented in experimental and operational interfaces; and to discuss some of the problems encountered. The paper closes with an extensive bibliography of references relevant to online search aids, going well beyond the items explicitly mentioned in the text. An index to software appears after the bibliography at the end of the paper.

In the beginning of the 1990s it was decided to start educating journalists at two Danish universities. This was decided in the hope that such academic journalists would carry greater insight into that work. Therefore for the curricula of these students of journalism some traditional academic disciplines were introduced. One such academic discipline was information retrieval. It was clear, however, that the information retrieval course had to be designed specifically for the students of journalism, as the information needs of journalists differ from the information needs of more traditional academic disciplines. Thus, this article describes the work done in order to develop such a course for students of journalism. Firstly, it analyses the information needs of journalists on a theoretical basis. Secondly, an empirical study analyses which information retrieval resources are available to Danish journalists. Finally, it combines the theoretical and the empirical findings in arguing that it is necessary to provide students of journalism with a theoretical understanding of how online information retrieval works, and also practical experience with several information retrieval resources that they are supposed to use in their daily work.

This review reports on the current state and the potential of tools and systems designed to aid online searching, referred to here as online searching aids. Intermediary mechanisms are examined in terms of the two stage model, i.e. end‐user, intermediary, ‘raw database’, and different forms of user — system interaction are discussed. The evolution of the terminology of online searching aids is presented with special emphasis on the expert/non‐expert division. Terms defined include gateways, front‐end systems, intermediary systems and post‐processing. The alternative configurations that such systems can have and the approaches to the design of the user interface are discussed. The review then analyses the functions of online searching aids, i.e. logon procedures, access to hosts, help features, search formulation, query reformulation, database selection, uploading, downloading and post‐processing. Costs are then briefly examined. The review concludes by looking at future trends following recent developments in computer science and elsewhere. Distributed expert based information systems (debis), the standard generalised mark‐up language (SGML), the client‐server model, object‐orientation and parallel processing are expected to influence, if they have not done so already, the design and implementation of future online searching aids.

Downloading and uploading offer labour‐saving advantages and are now accepted as useful options in online searching. All aspects are here considered, from recent technical advances, applications and legal attitudes. There is also a review of current software for downloading. Recent developments mean a trend to higher internal memory and storage capacity, and greater transmission speeds. Packages now offer access to more than one host, give maximum assistance to the user without being menu‐driven and incorporate the latest developments in artificial intelligence. Disadvantages are in the length of time involved in the process and the fact that the legal issue of copyright has not yet been finalised. Database producers have turned to licensing under contract law, but there is still need to rely on user ethics, and the need for a standard permissions form is highlighted.

During the 1980s online information retrieval became popular in many countries but its use in China was rare. In recent years, however, China has taken a leap forward in the development of online retrieval services.

The present success of online retrieval is well known. The future is dependent on several factors including technological developments (computers, communications, terminals and storage), progress in information with science research, availability and use of funds for employing and coupling the available technology and the useful results of research, and finally the nontechnical exterior factors, such as political, psychological, legal and legislative constraints. Research is under way to pave the way for the development of transparent systems for retrieving references, facts and information contained in textual material. Such systems will greatly increase the useability of computer‐readable databases by professionals and laymen alike. Really significant changes will depend on research that progresses towards fact retrieval and ultimately towards knowledge retrieval.

Some bibliometric characteristics of the literature of online information retrieval have been studied. A total of 1051 references in two recent bibliographies were examined. The literature grew rapidly from one paper in 1964 to 185 papers in 1975. The most rapid growth took place between 1970 and 1975. It appears that the annual growth rate has slowed since 1975. Most of the literature appeared as articles in 138 journals. 19 journals contained five or more papers each and contributed 392 papers (38% of the total). Papers on online information retrieval are dispersed in a wide variety of journals, many of them not devoted to library or information science. An unsuccessful attempt was made to apply Bradford's Law to the literature. A total of 1059 authors are cited in this literature. 22 of them contributed six or more papers each for a total of 206 papers (20% of the total). 369 of them published a paper in 1976 or 1977.