Discusses general problems of thesaurus construction theory and practice. Highlights include lexical control and its tools in various databases; natural language versus conceptual networks; systems approach; thesaurus versus classification, including associative relations; and thesaurus role in information storage and retrieval. (110 references)…

Discussion of Web databases, or search engines for the Internet, presents a series of questions that can be used to analyze these tools based on library literature. Six search engines are analyzed; collection methods, indexing, and abstracting are compared; and a proposal for a future ideal Web database is included. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the retrieval dimensions of data collection activity online and their influence on the research evaluation outcome to reinforce the link between online retrieval and bibliometrics. Topics include publication counts; citation analyses; citation databases from the Institute for Scientific Information; and data set isolation. (Author/LRW)

Numerous Web-based phone and address directories provide advantages over the white and yellow pages. Although many share a common database, each has features that set it apart: maps, suggested driving directions, and phone dialing. This article examines eight (Bigfoot, BigBook, BigYellow, Switchboard, Infospace, Contractjobs, InterNIC)…

Discusses database interfaces and explains that collaboration is an important aspect of searching online information retrieval systems that requires explicit computerized support. Collaboration in physical and in digital libraries is discussed and an example of a system that supports collaboration between browsers, ARIADNE, is described. (105…

Discusses computer user authentication and authorization issues when libraries need to let valid users access databases and information services without making the process too difficult for either party. Common solutions are explained, including filtering, passwords, and kerberos (cryptographic authentication scheme for secure use over public…

Discusses World Wide Web searching techniques for information professionals, and describes and evaluates four search systems that provide advanced search features and that search a comprehensive and authoritative database of Internet sites. Sample searches are explained and professional searching on the Web is discussed. (LRW)

Discusses the role of librarians in knowledge management in terms of designing information systems, creating classification systems and taxonomies, and implementing and operating the systems. Suggests the need for librarians to be involved in user education and training, including database searching, using current awareness services, and using…

Highlights the use of corpus linguistics--or the the study of language through the use of a large collection of naturally-occurring written and spoken texts. Discusses corpora with computers, applications of corpus linguistics, and the University of Pennsylvania's Linguistic data Consortium, which is conducting a speech study to support linguistic…

This study examines six cases of information-seeking behavior in the conduct of discourse synthesis in Perseus 1.0, a Greek history hypermedia database. Discourse synthesis refers to the process in which learners integrate their ideas, with information selected from multiple source texts within Perseus, to compose new texts. (JMK)

Notes that the employment of databases to the study of the history of a language is a method that allows for substantial improvement in investigative quality. Illustrates this with the example of the application of this method to two studies of the history of Spanish developed in the Language and Information Seminary of the Independent University…

Describes the practical application of interdisciplinary activities in a fifth-grade classroom. Twenty-eight students participated in a two-month unit which integrated database activities with mathematics, art, English, U.S. history, and public speaking. Illustrates that student leaders were able to understand and construct search strategies,…

Steady technology growth has allowed a Massachusetts school district to build a large, centralized database; improve a vast array of standard administrative operations; and design software applications tailored to many special needs. (MLF)

Presents a situated based computer-assisted language learning system named VIDYA. The principles discussed include use of mastery learning in the situated learning context, student modeling of language constructs, dynamic courseware presentation and a generic courseware evaluation technique. Summarizes the present status of VIDYA. (24 references)…

Analyzes the requirements for constructing collaborative learning activities in distance computer assisted learning (CAL) systems; shows why an active database can satisfy the requirements with a collaborative homework example; and proposes procedures for using an active database to construct collaborative learning activities in distance CAL…