This three-part article introduces a population dynamics model of an information processing system. The first part describes the general model and defines the terms used, the second describes the functional relationships between components, and the third explores the hypothesized emergence of increasingly complex, hierarchical information systems.…

Reviews citation analysis literature and explores use of citation analysis to identify core journals and indicate disciplinary structure and interrelationships of journals reporting on reading research. Use of 1980 "Journal Citation Reports" data to generate criterion for selecting high impact journals and list of 33 core journals is…

Discusses the use of optical character recognition (OCR) for inputting documents in an information retrieval system and describes a study that used an OCR-generated database and its corresponding corrected version to examine query evaluation in the presence of noisy data. Scanning technology, recognition technology, and retrieval technology are…

Discusses information systems in which information use becomes the prime design factor rather than technology and content. Highlighted topics include the change of useless data to productive knowledge, a value-added process; environments in which problems requiring information exist; and users' perceptions of the benefits and costs of using…

Enrollment data for 1977-1982 are used to produce an innovative map of top 42 elective courses in Drexel University's School of Library and Information Science. Data gathering and computing procedures are given in sufficient detail for replication and evidence is relevant to accreditation standards of American Library Association. (Sixteen…

Discusses the developments that have positively or adversely affected abstracting and indexing services over the past several decades, addressing such topics as the impact of computers and the migration from print-on-paper to online information provision. Forecasts for the near and long-term future are made and a reference list is included. (JL)

Proposes use of parallel computing systems to overcome the computationally intense clustering process. Results show some near linear speed up in higher threshold clustering applications, meeting the requirements to classify, group and process large document sets within nonprohibitive execution times. Includes graphs and charts. (JAK)

Introduces two data distortion methods (Frequency-Imposed Distortion, Frequency-Imposed Probability Distortion) and uses a Monte Carlo study to compare their performance with that of other distortion methods (Point Distortion, Probability Distortion). Indications that data generated by these two methods produce accurate statistics and protect…

Presents the results of research into the automatic selection of Library of Congress Classification numbers based on the titles and subject headings in MARC records from a test database at the University of California at Berkeley Library School library. Classification clustering and matching techniques are described. (44 references) (LRW)