Because 825,000 Internet domain names are assigned and 85,000 new site names are registered each month, the availability of new names is limited. To ease the situation, seven new generic top-level domain names (gTLDs) have been proposed for the Internet's domain name system by the International Ad Hoc Committee established by the Internet Assigned…

Discussion of knowledge management for electronic data focuses on creating a high quality similarity ranking algorithm. Topics include similarity ranking and unstructured data management; searching, categorization, and summarization of documents; query evaluation; considering sentences in addition to keywords; and vector models. (LRW)

Discusses scientometric indicators and the strategic value of measurement results using scientometric indicators. Focuses on whether the inclusion of new journals in the "Science Citation Index" can be used for the indication of structural change in the database, and how this change can be compared with reorganizations of relations among…

Using the Rasch model for ordered categories, this paper provides a method for qualitative interpretations of data from an affective measure such as an attitude scale. This maximum information approach provides explicit qualitative information about the meaning of a score on the latent trait being assessed. (SLD)

Explains seven types of subject descriptions commonly used in databases--hierarchical classification, category codes, subject headings, descriptors, faceted classification, post-controlled vocabulary, and natural language--and describes specific search techniques for taking advantage of the strengths of particular types of vocabularies. An overall…

Describes a new data compression technique that utilizes the common morphological structure of languages. Topics include classification of languages and their morphological structure; structured text compression; the algorithm and an example using Turkish; theoretical implications; and implementation. (LRW)

Introduces this special issue on the construction of a federal policy-impact code for classifying the nation's rural school districts. Despite the diversity in rural areas, rural education issues are somehow unique. The goal is to adequately reflect the impact of government education policies upon rural schooling. (KS)

Describes instructional design theory at the micro level and offers practical examples that may be applied to bibliographic instruction. The Performance-Content Matrix, a classification scheme for categorizing learning objectives according to their specified level of performance and type of content, is explained; and Merrill's Component Display…

Explains the new Carnegie classification system for institutions of higher education, a sweeping revision that emphasizes teaching, focusing on the number and types of degrees an institution awards rather than research or selectivity in admissions. The biggest change is for universities that award doctorates--these are now grouped into only two…

Rough set theory is a new mathematical tool to deal with vagueness and uncertainty. Computational methods are presented for using rough sets to identify classes in datasets, finding dependencies in relations, and discovering rules which are hidden in databases. The methods are illustrated with a running example from a database of car test results.…

Describes empirical investigations of people's use of relevance criteria. Highlights include a laboratory experiment and a naturalistic study that explored the patterns of movement in use of relevance criteria during real-time document evaluation processes; criteria patterns; and a classification scheme and criteria taxonomy that may enable…

Discusses levels of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) as ordinal categories. Presents guidelines developed through the Rasch model that prompt an analyst to investigate whether rating categories produce observations on which meaningful measurement and inference about patient status can be based. (SLD)

Describes performance indicators (PIs) as conceptual technologies that shape the issues academics think about and how they think about these issues. Explores the normative assumptions embedded in the PIs of higher education in Alberta, Canada, to yield an initial typology of assumptions academics can apply to PIs in higher education to refine or…

Based on a taxonomy of knowledge management processes, provides a synopsis of technologies and vendors that support knowledge management. Proposes a model for classifying the various types of technologies related to knowledge management that are most often used in institutional research. (EV)

Using item response theory, discusses the difficulties faced in evaluating measurement invariance when a psychological construct is assessed through a test or inventory composed of categorical items. Illustrates the usefulness of fitplots in assessing measurement invariance in inventory data. (SLD)