Part-time indexers were trained according to a previously established training program. The performance of experienced indexers was compared to the performance of these index trainees. Several makes of microfiche readers were evaluated, particularly with regard to their use by indexers. One make offered the most advantages, and a number of these…

A measure of indexing consistency is developed based on the concept of 'fuzzy sets'. It assigns a higher consistency value if indexers agree on the more important terms than if they agree on less important terms. Measures of the quality of an indexer's work and exhaustivity of indexing are also proposed. Experimental data on indexing consistency…

The field of education serves as the basis for this discussion on the use of categories in a thesaurus for information processing and documentation purposes. The author briefly shows how a number of writers concerned with the structure of the field of education, as well as makers of classification schemes, have commented on the value of setting up…

The results of a study of the indexing provided by the "Bibliography of Agriculture" and 15 related secondary services are described. The data elements used with printed citations and the indexing features of each service are described and compared. A methodology was developed to compare the terms provided by the Bibliography and each…

The main purpose of the experiment was to answer the question whether broad or narrow terms function most effectively in the retrieval of relevant documents. The answer depends on what the user of the retrieval system wants, his wants being expressed in terms of stated precision-recall preference, or by the exact number of relevant documents he…

Present day shortcomings in information retrieval are the results of a failure to properly contend with the problem of data representation. The index provides the necessary linkage between a multiplicity of sources and a single receiver. Whether considering the source/document-space interface or the query/index interface, the elements of the…

The Third Cranfield Conference on Mechanised Information Storage and Retrieval Systems was held on 20-23 July 1971 in Cranfield, England. The report describes a number of the key papers presented at this conference. (Author)

Presents card catalog approaches to bilingualism and biculturalism, with the intent of assisting the reader, specialist or not, in developing competence in using the standardized subject headings employed in the majority of research library card catalogs. (EJS)

Examines the prospects for the use of computers in solving linguistics problems and discusses questions of linguistic theory which relate to the functioning of a language within the communicatory system of "man-machine-man." (EJS)

Briefly reviews early work in documentation and text processing, and predictions that were made about the creative role of computers in information retrieval. An attempt is made to explain why these predictions were not fulfilled and conclusions are drawn regarding the limits of computer power in text retrieval applications. (Author/CLB)

Presents a methodology for extending string indexing from index display production to the provision of descriptor phrases for term proximity searching. Objectives of the extension are discussed, and an illustration of the use of an existing string indexing system for this purpose is given. (14 references) (CLB)

Explores differences in precision of terms used in subject access in the humanities, differentiating by the exactness with which the phenomena designated can be located in space and time. Samples of 200 terms from seven indexes in the humanities are classified according to five categories of terms. Six tables present results of data analyses. (22…

The issue of free-text versus controlled vocabulary is examined. The history of the issue, which is seen as beginning with the debate over title term indexing in the nineteenth century, is reviewed and questions not satisfactorily addressed by previous research are raised. (Author/EM)

An annotated bibliography of materials published during 1984-1985 on subject analysis covers classification, indexing, subject headings, and thesauri. The major theme is the need for improved subject analysis and the new computer technology is seen as the way to achieve it. (EM)

A programmed text with branching, recorded on an audiocassette, was developed and tested on 12 visually disabled college students. Eight participants voice-indexed recorded lecture notes, textbooks, and other assigned readings. Follow-up indicated that six out of seven of the students from the initial study still voice-indexed some of their…