Toward an integral multi-file on-line bibliographic database

Abstract

The work described represented an attempt to lay the basis for an integral multi-file bibliographic database and, in particular, to derive a common retrieval vocabulary for data bases received from many different sources in a single carrier language. The creation of an experimental database of some 44 000 references with abstracts, as originally announced in NASA STAR during 1973 and 1974, is described. This data base could be searched either by the classical controlled voca bulary technique or by means of an improved natural language technique using terms in the titles and/or abstracts, or any combination of these. This improved technique was based on three discrete aspects: the development of an index file of uniterms from the natural language by means of an iterative, machine-aided procedure; the incorporation of meaningful phrases culled from the same source; and the derivation of an RT-analogue, on the basis of statistical term association, called Associated Concepts. The experimental database was submitted to a comparative evaluation of controlled and natural language retrieval performance by an external group directed by Prof. Cyril Cleverdon and com prising expert documentalists from several large European information centres with long experience of on-line search ing ; the results of this evaluation are reported.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

W.A. Martin , A comparative study of terminal user techniques in four European Countries on a large common online interactive information retrieval system, paper presented to First European Congress on Documentation System and Networks, Luxembourg, 16-18 May 1973. (EUR5058, pp. 107-164).

N.E.C. Isotta , The Space Documentation Service - A progress report, ESRO/ELDO Bulletin 23 (November 1973) 2-8.

R.T. Niehoff , Development of an integrated energy vocabulary and the possibilities for on-line subject switching, J. American Soc. Information Sci. 27 (1) (January-February 1976) 3-17.

W.A. Martin , Maximising the use of an information service in an international environment , Paper presented to AGARD Technical Information Panel Specialists Meeting "Advancements in Retrieval Technology as related to Information Systems", Arlington, Va, U.S.A., 20-21 October 1976 (AGARD-CP-207).

G. Olive , J.E. Terry and S. Datta , Studies to compare retrieval using titles with that using index terms, J. Documentation 29(2) (June 1973) 169-191.

J.R. Byrne , Relative effectiveness of titles, abstracts, and subject headings for machine retrieval from the COMPENDEX services, J. American Soc. Information Sci. 26(4) (July-August 1975) 223-229.

K. Bhattacharyya , The effectiveness of natural language in science indexing and retrieval, J. Documentation 30(3) (September 1974) 235-254.

A.E. Wessel , Computer-Aided Information Retrieval (Melville Los Angeles, Ca, 1975) pp. 176.

Unpublished.

10.

A.E. Wessel , The Social Use of Information - Ownership and Access ( Wiley, New York, 1976) pp. 244.

11.

W.A. Martin, Unpublished.

12.

C.W. Cleverdon , A comparative evaluation of searching by controlled language and natural language in an experimental NASA database. Report ESA-CR(P)-1009 , European Space. Agency, 1977 (pp. 134).