This report describes the methods, developed by the American Institute of Physics in cooperation with Engineering Index, Inc., by which both organizations could reduce costs by eliminating duplication of keyboarding and indexing. The three sets of problems that confronted the interchange of their data bases (classification and indexing, formats,…

Describes technique developed as automatic support to subject heading indexing at BIOSIS based on use of formalized language for semantic representation of biological texts and subject headings. Language structures, experimental results, and analysis of journal/subject heading and author/subject heading correlation data are discussed. References…

This discussion of the general principles of structure and construction of numeric databases introduces the concept of data points, their relationship to each other, and their storage in a nonredundant way. The collection of numeric data and their integration into the database structure are explained. Eight references are cited. (EJS)

Describes a study evaluating the effectiveness of the Information Retrieval, Ltd. (IRL) Life Sciences Collection database in a field where BioSciences Information Service (BIOSIS) claims to offer comprehensive coverage of the international literature. The two databases are described, and the depth of controlled indexing is compared for the two

Describes XMARC, a set of computer programs which provides students with a simplified means of writing programs for the automatic indexing of an experimental collection of MARC records. (Author/FM)

A comparison of the Magazine Index (MI) and the New York Times Information Bank (IB) showed the two data bases have little in common, mainly due to differences in focus, indexing, vocabulary, use online, and output. For business and government users, IB is the best choice; for more general and academic purposes, MI provides access to more…

Describes the development of a thesaurus for indexing the databases of Engineering Information, Inc., that improved the former precoordinate indexing vocabulary with postcoordinate descriptors and an appropriate set of thesaurus relationships. Problems of incompatibility with old indexing are addressed, and the use of an outside consultant versus…

Describes a study that analyzed the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms used to index the literature of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Subject access to the AIDSLINE database developed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) is examined, and changes in subject headings that reflect the growth of the field are analyzed. (12…

Describes an alternative method for indexing images in an image database. The method consists of manually indexing a selected reference image, and then using retrieval by graphical content to automatically transfer the manually assigned index terms from the reference image to the images to be indexed. (AEF)

Since it is largely the concepts related to works of art that interest art historians, it is these concepts that need to be reflected in indexing terminology. As these concepts have changed over time, a sizeable verbal infrastructure is needed to support the indexing of large image databases to achieve maximum use by art historians. (Author/AEF)

A meeting was held to explore critical issues and problems related to subject access to online bibliographic records of monographic literature. The 23 researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who attended represented national and research libraries, bibliographic utilities, database vendors, library schools, indexing and abstracting services,…

This operating manual was constructed for the first version of the experimental database system SOUCIT, a qualified citation index for educational technology designed by the Computer Services Unit of Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology (RGIT) in association with the Scottish Education Department. The database comprises 45 references generated…

This examination of abstracting-indexing services for the field of history focuses on Historical Abstracts (HA) and America--History and Life (AHL), and their relationship to the American Bibliographical Center's Subject Profile Index (ABC-SPIndex). The history, scope, selection criteria, and classification arrangements of the two databases are…

The process of initiating and negotiating a literature search in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) data base is discussed in laymen's terms. The guide offers suggestions on choosing a data base, deciding whether to use computerized or manual retrieval, defining the search problem, and understanding the Boolean search strategy…

Describes the concept of maximum indexing, a system aimed at achieving maximum recall and maximum precision in computerized information retrieval. The indexing strategies used to achieve maximum indexing and the problems that arise are discussed. (9 references) (CLB)