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The popularity of DIALOG database searching causes problems when requestors do not understand how the service operates or how to fill out a search request. This report describes the implementation of a computer-aided instructional (CAI) program, which was developed using the UTAH PILOT programming language, to convey basic information about DIALOG to students in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Winona State University. The program was designed to demonstrate how to do simple DIALOG searches in ERIC and biomedical databases on 5.25 or 3.5 inch disks in the computer laboratory. The CAI program was divided into three parts: (1) an introduction to DIALOG and the basic commands; (2) a brief review and a quiz; and (3) examples of an actual search in DIALOG. The CAI simulation was designed to allow students to learn about DIALOG services while fostering an appreciation of why some searches do not provide the desired results. It is noted that, although no students who had completed the CAI program had availed themselves of the opportunity to conduct an online search under librarian supervision, a definite improvement had been observed in both the number and the quality of the online search requests submitted from the College of Nursing. The report includes background information about DIALOG; a brief literature review; and discussions of the implementation of the program, pilot testing results and subsequent changes in the program, and the outcome of the project. The appendixes, which make up the greater part of the report, provide two examples from the CAI program and a copy of the complete instructional program. (12 references) (SD)

An IBM-developed program, STAIRS, was selected for performing a search on the BIOSIS file. The evaluation of the hardware and search systems and the strategies used are discussed. The searches are analyzed by type of end user.

This preliminary study attempted to determine the most effective search strategies for the topic "health effects" in relation to specific chemicals and/or pollutants--in this case, asbestos--for each of five selected Lockheed DIALOG data bases: BIOSIS Previews, Chemical Abstracts Condensates (Chemcon), NTIS, Enviroline, and Pollution Abstracts. Strategies were developed, searches run, results calculated, and strategies synthesized for the larger data bases--BIOSIS, Chemcon, and NTIS. Strategies were developed for Enviroline and Pollution Abstracts by selecting possible search terms/codes from relevant citations, testing hypothetical search strategies for recall and precision, and then synthesizing these strategies. All citations from each data base search were evaluated for relevance and precision was calculated. Following data analysis, the study recommended basic health effects strategies for each data base. Trends ascertained in searching these data bases by testing with asbestos showed that codes work well in BIOSIS; Chemcon and NTIS require a combination of codes and words; words alone or codes and words together could be used in Enviroline, and Pollution Abstracts require all words whose identities can be pinpointed. A list of user aids, bibliography, tables, and illustrations are included. (Author/KP)

A comparison of costs for computer-based searching of Psychological Abstracts and Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) systems by the New York State Library at Albany was produced by combining data available from search request forms and from bills from the contract subscription service, the State University of New York-Bio-Communication Network (SUNY-BCN). These data were used to compute costs in commercial pricing systems. Charges for peripheral equipment, which are included in the contract fee, were prorated according to the ratio of use of each data base against the total use for all data bases. Estimates were obtained for comparable peripheral equipment, adjusted for percentage of time used, and added to search costs to complete the comparison. Differences in cost and access to the computer were noted, and it was recommended that the New York State Library remain with the SUNY-BCN system and plan also to join the Lockheed DIALOG system for data bases not available from SUNYBCN. A fee schedule that includes a surcharge for development and refinement of search and retrieval procedures also was recommended. (CH)

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