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IRList Digest Volume 4 Number 07
IRList Digest Sunday, 31 January 1988 Volume 4 : Issue 7
Today's Topics:
Abstracts - New Dissertations (part 3 of 3)
News addresses are
Internet or CSNET: fox@vtopus.cs.vt.edu
BITNET: foxea@vtvax3.bitnet
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Date: Thu, 28 Jan 88 22:42:30 EST
From: "Susanne M. HUMPHREY" <humphrey@MCS.NLM.NIH.GOV>
Subject: new dissertations [Note - this is last of 3 parts - Ed]
AN This item is not available from University Microfilms International
ADG05-61230.
AU SAMARAJIWA, ROHAN AINSLEY.
IN Simon Fraser University (Canada) Ph.D 1986.
TI PROPERTY RIGHTS AND INFORMATION MARKETS: POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING
NEWS AGENCIES AND ONLINE DATABASES.
SO DAI v48(08), SecA.
DE Information Science.
AB This thesis examines how the production of new and better
information can be encouraged in a market economy while preserving
a public interest in unfettered access to factual information
essential to political and economic processes. The question is
studied in relation to the market in news and market-information,
an area of economic activity transformed by the application of
advanced information/communication technology.
The market is analyzed within the broad framework of the
structure-conduct-performance paradigm drawn from the industrial
organization field. The news and market-information market is in
the midst of a period of dynamic growth. There is no evidence of
market failure or the unambiguous exercise of market power that
would require immediate government intervention in the form of
strengthening private property rights, regulation, or structural
reform. A number of tendencies that may result in future market
concentration and adverse impacts on access to public-domain
information are identified.
Private property rights to news and market-information are
examined in relation to historical evolution in common-law
jurisdictions as well as the current Canadian copyright revision
process. The common-law tradition is found to be one of
interpreting the scope of statutory copyright law parsimoniously
with respect to news and market-information and related factual
information. The courts have attempted to devise limited forms of
property rights for these products. The copyright revision
proposals under consideration by the Canadian Parliament on
computer-based information storage and retrieval systems have the
potential of strengthening private property rights to all factual
information, including news and market-information. This form of
government intervention is inappropriate for the news and
market-information market and can only have negative implications
for end-users, market structure and public-domain information. It
is proposed that factual information be excluded from copyright
protection, and that public policy be directed to the design of
property rights that allow unhindered use and further processing,
yet preserve sufficient incentives for the production of new and
better information.
The relevance of the study and its findings to the general inquiry
on the nature and implications of the information society is
briefly discussed.
AN University Microfilms Order Number ADG87-18181.
AU THOMPSON, PAUL.
IN University of California, Berkeley Ph.D 1986, 184 pages.
TI SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITY, COMBINATION OF EXPERT OPINION, AND
PROBABILISTIC APPROACHES TO INFORMATION RETRIEVAL.
SO DAI v48(05), SecA, pp1044.
DE Information Science.
AB This dissertation is a study of probability and its application to
the problem of information retrieval. It opens with a survey and
examination of current work on probabilistic indexing,
probabilistic queries, and rules for how these can be combined and
used in order to rank output documents by computed values of
probability of relevance. In these current approaches to
probabilistic information retrieval (PIR), probability is
interpreted as a relative frequency or as a person's estimate of a
relative frequency.
There are three major conceptual difficulties with current
theories, or models of PIR: (1) Independence/dependence of
individual term probabilities; (2) The small sample problem; (3)
The validity of probabilities used.
There is also the question of how to interpret the probability of
a single case, i.e., the relevance of a specific document to a
specific retrieval system user.
This dissertation divides into three main sections. One is a study
of the psychological literature on human probability assessment.
It is motivated by a concern with how well humans can be expected
to perform in assessment of term probabilities. The second is a
computer simulation study which examines how errors in estimation
of term probabilities propagate into the combined probability for
each document and how this affects the ranked output of documents.
It is motivated by the question of determining the impact of
various levels of input term probability errors on retrieval
effectiveness. Finally, the third (and major section) is the
development of a new mathematical model for PIR which uses a
subjective interpretation of probability, probability
distributions (as opposed to point estimates of probabilities),
and the technique of combination of expert opinion. It is argued
that such an approach shows promise of largely overcoming the
obstacles to PIR mentioned above.
AN University Microfilms Order Number ADG87-21782.
AU WARNER, AMY.
IN University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ph.D 1987, 240
pages.
TI QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENTS OF THE IMPACT OF LINGUISTIC
THEORY ON INFORMATION SCIENCE.
SO DAI v48(07), SecA.
DE Information Science.
AB A citation analysis was performed on a subset of the information
science literature to determine the impact of linguistic theory on
information science. Both quantitative and qualitative measures
were employed to show the relationship between the two fields. The
overall findings indicate that this portion of the information
science literature has made almost no use of linguistic theory.
The small number of citations to linguistic theory did show some
patterns, indicating that small numbers of citing and cited
authors account for most of the activity; that syntax and
semantics have occupied more attention from information scientists
than other branches of linguistic theory; that information
scientists have cited older works over time; and that most of the
citations to linguistic theory belong to qualitative "non-use"
categories.
AN University Microfilms Order Number ADG87-21619.
AU CRAVER, KATHLEEN WOODS.
IN University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ph.D 1987, 241
pages.
TI THE INFLUENCE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF AN ACADEMIC ONLINE CATALOG ON
THE USE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES BY COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS.
SO DAI v48(07), SecA.
DE Library Science.
AB Five hypotheses were formulated to test the effect access to an
academic online catalog in a school library had on the use of
various library facilities and materials by college-bound high
school seniors. Data for the analysis of this problem consisted
of: (1) research assignment bibliographies gathered from 73
seniors without access to an academic online catalog in the school
library (pre-online catalog students); (2) research assignment
bibliographies collected from 80 seniors with access to an
academic online catalog in the school library (post-online catalog
students); and (3) 114 questionnaires gathered from students in
both groups. The bibliographies were subjected to citation
analysis to verify the library used for each reference. Aggregate
totals were computed for each group and t-tests and analyses of
variance were employed to determine if any statistically
significant differences existed between pre-online catalog and
post-online catalog students with respect to their use of academic
libraries. The questionnaires were used: (1) to help verify the
location source for questionable references; (2) to ascertain the
degree of online catalog use between groups; and (3) to indicate
the amount of student use of various library facilities and
materials.
The significant findings were: (1) Computerized access to an
academic online catalog in the school library significantly
influenced the use of academic libraries by college-bound high
school seniors. Post-online catalog students cited more sources
from academic libraries than pre-online catalog students. (2)
Students with access to an academic online catalog in the school
library cited more periodicals from academic libraries in their
research assignment than students without access. (3) Post-online
catalog students used a greater number of sources from the
academic undergraduate library compared to pre-online catalog
students. (4) Post-online catalog students cited fewer books and
periodicals from one public library than did pre-online catalog
students.
The findings of this study suggest that school librarians should
seriously consider: (1) joining a multitype network with
computerized access to bibliographic materials and (2) modifying
their bibliographic instruction units to include use of an online
catalog and other types of libraries.
AN University Microfilms Order Number ADG87-17950.
AU CROWE, JAN DEE.
IN University of California, Berkeley Ph.D 1986, 134 pages.
TI STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY OF INDEXING A WORK'S SUBJECTIVE VIEWPOINT.
SO DAI v48(05), SecA, pp1045.
DE Library Science.
AB Book selection policy places an obligation on the librarian to
represent differing viewpoints in its collection. Yet viewpoint
information is not systematically recorded in the catalogue or
index record and is not accessible to researchers who might find
such information relevant to their choice of research materials.
This is because the library profession resists 'labeling,' is
concerned about level of analysis, and maintains a self-image of
'neutrality,' which, it is feared, might be compromised by
attempts to index a work's subjective viewpoint.
A solution is offered throughout the study in a definition of
'viewpoint' which is developed in three stages. In the first
stage, two types of viewpoint are recognized. The first type of
viewpoint, as a dimension of the author's belief system, presents
the librarian with an ethical dilemma and is eliminated from
consideration. The second is a dimension of the subject matter and
is expressed textually in two forms: the first is in the open
position taken by the author and supported by a deliberate line of
argument which is usually easily recognizable; the second is in
the underlying assumptions made by the author regarding his topic
and is not so easily recognizable. In the final stage of viewpoint
definition, these crucial assumptions are made practically
recognizable as 'closed questions'.
In order to create a suitable climate for recognizing these closed
questions, a change in index theory is suggested. 'Traditional'
indexing has as its focus the summarization of content for the
text in hand. It is suggested instead that the focus of the
indexer should be upon the particular problem situation (i.e.
topic plus questions addressed in the work on that topic)
addressed by the author. Current procedures would not necessarily
change a great deal. This new focus, if adopted, would improve
many weak aspects of current theory and would, almost by the way,
provide a natural and unforced space for a consideration of author
viewpoint.
AN University Microfilms Order Number ADG87-16512.
AU DALRYMPLE, PRUDENCE WARD.
IN The University of Wisconsin - Madison Ph.D 1987, 326 pages.
TI RETRIEVAL BY REFORMULATION IN TWO LIBRARY CATALOGS: TOWARD A
COGNITIVE MODEL OF SEARCHING BEHAVIOR.
SO DAI v48(07), SecA.
DE Library Science.
AB The study was designed to test hypotheses derived from a
psychological theory of remembering. An analogy between patterns
of retrieval from human long-term memory and information retrieval
from bibliographic databases was proposed. The model, known as
retrieval by reformulation, was first articulated by Williams and
Tou in 1982. The setting for the research was the public catalog
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where a substantial
portion of the library's bibliographic records is available in two
formats, a card catalog and an online catalog. Forty university
students in two groups were randomly assigned to the two catalogs
and completed a series of five searches on specified topics. It
was hypothesized that the two searching environments were
sufficiently different, particularly in the degree and kind of
feedback provided to searchers, to allow observation of
differences on four classes of variables: search outcome, attitude
toward the search experience and assessment of search results,
perseverance, and number of reformulations. Findings indicated
that greater perseverance and more frequent query reformulations
were associated with the online searching context. Larger
retrieval sets and more favorable search assessments were
associated with the card catalog context. No significant
differences were found between groups on the attitudinal measures;
however, initial steps were taken toward identifying three
effective constructs: "affability," "frustration," and
"expectation." In order to observe the cognitive processes used in
searching, subjects were asked to "think aloud" while they
searched. Transcripts of these verbal protocols were used to
identify reformulations and to further operationalize the
theoretical construct "reformulation." Observations were made
regarding the utility of protocol analysis in information
retrieval research. Additional post hoc analyses included overlap
of sets of retrieved items and investigation of variance
associated with the use of test questions.
AN University Microfilms Order Number ADG87-20581.
AU WALLS, FRANCINE ELIZABETH.
IN Seattle University Ed.D 1987, 152 pages.
TI CURRENT PERSPECTIVE AND ETHICAL CONCERNS OF INFORMATION
INTERMEDIARIES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
SO DAI v48(06), SecA, pp1345.
DE Library Science.
AB This study examines the current perspective and ethical concerns
of information intermediaries in the Pacific Northwest.
Information intermediaries search for, prepare or analyze
information for others, on demand, and for a fee. They have also
been called information brokers, information consultants,
information specialists and, fee-based information services.
The study was based on the results of a mail questionnaire sent to
the population of information intermediaries in the Pacific
Northwest, and a telephone interview conducted with a random
sample of the population. The two research instruments were used
during November and December, 1986, and resulted in forty usable
mail questionnaires and twelve completed interviews. The
respondents were predominantly females, business owners, and
holders of master's degrees in library science.
The results of the study indicate that the majority of information
intermediary firms in the Pacific Northwest are sole
proprietorships located in British Columbia or Washington State.
The primary focus of the firms is searching for information for
others using online and manual literature searches although a
variety of other services are offered. For the majority of the
firms, the initial monetary outlay and the income are modest.
Information intermediaries want their behavior to be ethical. Some
are concerned about online searchers who are not adequately
skilled in searching, and the lack of standards of performance for
those in the field, in general.
Little concern for legal liability is expressed; few firms have
written codes of ethics, written contracts with disclaimers for
inaccurate secondary information provided to a client, or
liability insurance.
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END OF IRList Digest
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