bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perspective on Educational Measurement
Authors: Gulliksen Harold
Published: March 2007

An important but usually neglected aspect of the training of teachers is instruction in the art of writing good classroom tests. Such training should emphasize various forms of objective items (e.g., multiple- choice, master list, matching, greater-less-same, best- worst answer, and matrix format). The proper formu lation and accurate grading of essay items should be included, as should the use of various types of free- answer items (e.g., the brief answer, interlinear, and "fill in the blanks in the following paragraph" forms). For courses involving laboratory work, such as sci ence, machine shop, and home economics, perfor mance and identification tests based on the laboratory work should be used.

A second point is that organizations developing ap titude tests for nonacademic areas, such as police work, fire fighting, and licensing tests, should empha size the use by the client of a valid, reliable, and un biased criterion. Organizations developing academic aptitude tests should also (1) be alert to the accuracy of criterion measures, grades, rank in class, and so forth; (2) call teachers' attention to defects in grading; and (3) help guide teachers and schools in improving these procedures. In recent decades, there have been few instances in which a testing organization has ap prised teachers of the fact that their criteria—among others, grades on tests and student papers—are often quite unreliable based on characteristics such as work habits and attitude in class, and could be improved by using better tests to evaluate student performance. Characteristics of the group used for determining va lidity are also critical.
An Exploration of the Robustness of Four Test Equating Models
Authors: Skaggs Gary , Lissitz Robert W.
Published: March 2007

This monte carlo study explored how four com monly used test equating methods (linear, equipercen tile, and item response theory methods based on the Rasch and three-parameter models) responded to tests of different psychometric properties. The four methods were applied to generated data sets where mean item difficulty and discrimination as well as level of chance scoring were manipulated. In all cases, examinee abil ity was matched to the level of difficulty of the tests. The results showed the Rasch model not to be very robust to violations of the equal discrimination and non-chance scoring assumptions. There were also problems with the three-parameter model, but these were due primarily to estimation and linking prob lems. The recommended procedure for tests similar to those studied is the equipercentile method.
Banking Non-Dichotomously Scored Items
Authors: Masters Geofferey N. , Evans John
Published: March 2007

A method for constructing a bank of items scored in two or more ordered response categories is de scribed and illustrated. This method enables multistep problems, rating scale items, question "clusters," and other items using partial credit scoring to be calibrated and incorporated into an item bank, and it provides a mechanism for computer adaptive testing with items of this type. Procedures are described for calibrating an initial set of items, for testing the fit of items to the underlying measurement model, and for linking new items to an existing item bank. The method is illus trated using items from the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.
Rule-Based Item Bank Construction and Evaluation Within the Linear Logistic Framework
Authors: Hornke Lutz F. , Habon Michael W.
Published: March 2007

In cognition research, item writing rules are consid ered a necessary prerequisite of item banking. A set of 636 items was constructed using prespecified cognitive operations. An evaluation of test data from some 7,400 examinees revealed 446 homogeneous items. Some items had to be discarded because of printing flaws, and others because of operation complexion or other well-describable reasons. However, cognitive operations explained item difficulty parameters quite well; further cross-validation research may contribute to an item writing approach which attempts to bring psychological theory and psychometric models closer together. This will eventually free item construction from item writer idiosyncrasies.
Item Banking in Computer-Based Instructional Systems
Authors: Baker Frank B.
Published: March 2007

This paper examines item banking within computer- based instructional systems from both a systems and a measurement perspective. Traditionally, computer- aided instruction involves little testing, although there is a trend to incorporate posttests in the sessions. However, computer-managed instruction has incorpo rated testing since its inception. The tests employed are similar in most respects to teacher-made classroom tests. The test results are used as the basis for diagno sis, prescription, and management procedures for indi vidual or small groups of students. At the classroom level, test banking may be more appropriate than item banking. Because of the tight linkage of the tests to instructional procedures, the basic measurement issue appears to be the degree to which the approaches evolved from standardized achievement testing can be applied to the large number of short tests employed in computer-based instructional systems.
Tolerance Intervals: Alternatives to Credibility Intervals in Validity Generalization Research
Authors: Millsap Roger E.
Published: March 2007

In validity generalization research, the estimated mean and variance of the true validity distribution are often used to construct a credibility interval, an inter val containing a specified proportion of the true valid ity distribution. The statistical interpretation of this in terval in the literature has varied between Bayesian and classical (frequentist) viewpoints. Credibility in tervals are here discussed from the frequentist perspec tive. These are known as "tolerance intervals" in the statistical literature. Two new methods for construct ing a credibility interval are presented. Unlike the cur rent method of constructing the credibility interval, tolerance intervals have known performance character istics across repeated applications, justifying confi dence statements. The new methods may be useful in validity generalization research involving a small or moderate number of validation studies. Index terms: Bayesian statistics, Credibility intervals, Meta- analysis, Tolerance intervals, True validity distribu tion, Validity generalization.
Set Correlation and Contingency Tables
Authors: Cohen Jacob
Published: March 2007

Set correlation is a realization of the general multi variate linear model, can be viewed as a multivariate generalization of multiple correlation analysis, and may be employed in the analysis of multivariate data in any form. Set correlation supplements the four methods for analyzing two-way contingency tables de scribed by Zwick and Cramer (1986), and its applica tion to their example is illustrated. It gives the same results for the overall association, and in addition, by the use of nominal scale coding and partialling, it as sesses specific hypotheses about the details of the as sociation. Set correlation includes measures of strength of association (including correlations and proportions of variance), significance tests and estimation, power analysis, and computer programs to implement the calculations. Index terms: canonical analysis, con tingency table analysis, correspondence analysis, gen eral multivariate linear model, multivariate analysis of variance, Pearson chi-square, set correlation.
Congeneric Modeling of Reliability Using Censored Variables
Authors: Brown R.L.
Published: March 2007

This paper explores the use of Jöreskog's (1970) congeneric modeling approach to reliability using cen sored quantitative variables, and discusses the com pound problem of non-normality and attenuation that occurs when estimating censored continuous variables. Two monte carlo studies were conducted. The first study demonstrated the inappropriateness of using nor mal theory generalized least-squares (NTGLS) for esti mating reliability on censored variables. The second study compared three different estimation procedures —NTGLS, asymptotically distribution free (ADF) esti mators, and latent TOBIT estimators—as to their effi ciency in estimating individual and composite reliabil ity on censored variables. Results from the studies indicate that problems of non-normality and attenua tion must be addressed before accurate reliability esti mates may be obtained. Index terms: censored vari ables, congeneric model, covariance modeling, monte carlo study, reliability, TOBIT correlations.
Some Comments on the Relation Between Reliability and Statistical Power
Authors: Humphreys Lloyd G. , Drasgow Fritz
Published: March 2007

Several articles have discussed the curious fact that a difference score with zero reliability can nonetheless allow a powerful test of change. This statistical legerde main should not be overemphasized for three reasons. First, although the reliability of the difference score may be unrelated to power, the reliabilities of the var iables used to create the difference scores are directly related to the power of the test. Second, with what some will regard as additional legerdemain, it is possi ble to define reliability in the context of a difference score in such a way that power is a direct function of reliability. The third and most serious objection to the conclusion that the reliability of a difference score is unimportant is that the underlying statistical model used in its derivation is rarely appropriate for psycho logical data. Index terms: control of individual dif ferences, difference scores, reliability, reliability of the marginal distribution, statistical power, within- group reliabilities.
Confirmatory Factor Analyses of Multitrait-Multimethod Data: A Comparison of Alternative Models
Authors: Marsh Herbert W. , Bailey Michael
Published: March 2007

Alternative models for confirmatory factor analysis of multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data were evaluated by varying the number of traits and methods and sample size for 255 MTMM matrices constructed from real data (Study 1), and for 180 MTMM matrices constructed from simulated data (Study 2). The correlated uniqueness model converged to proper solutions for 99% (Study 1) and 96% (Study 2) of the MTMM matrices, whereas the general model typically used converged to proper solutions for only 24% (Study 1) and 22% (Study 2) of the MTMM matrices. The general model was usually ill-defined (100% in Study 1, 90% in Study 2) for small MTMM matrices with small Ns, but performed better when the size of the MTMM matrix and N were larger. Even when both models converged to proper solutions, however, parameter estimates for the correlated uniqueness model were more accurate and precise in relation to known population parameters in Study 2.
Sequential Reliability Tests
Authors: Eiting Mindert H.
Published: March 2007

Sequential tests for a stepped-up reliability esti mator and coefficient alpha are developed. In a series of monte carlo experiments, the efficiency of the tests relative to each other and to fixed-sample tests is established, as well as the robustness of the alpha test. Both tests proved to be efficient, and the alpha test proved to be reasonably robust to deviations from normality and deviations from equal item error variances. On average, 47% of the sample size can be saved if a sequential test is ap plied instead of a fixed-sample test.
A Comparison of Two Area Measures for Detecting Differential Item Functioning
Authors: Kim Seock-Ho , Cohen Allan S.
Published: March 2007

The area between two item response functions is often used as a measure of differential item functioning under item response theory. This area can be measured over either an open interval (i.e., exact) or closed interval. Formulas are presented for com puting the closed-interval signed and unsigned areas. Exact and closed-interval measures were estimated on data from a test with embedded items intentionally constructed to favor one group over another. No real differences in detection of these items were found between exact and closed-interval methods.
A Global Information Approach to Computerized Adaptive Testing
Authors: Chang Hua-Hua , Ying Zhiliang
Published: March 2007

Most item selection in computerized adaptive testing is based on Fisher information (or item information). At each stage, an item is selected to maximize the Fisher information at the currently estimated trait level (θ). However, this application of Fisher information could be much less efficient than assumed if the estimators are not close to the true θ, especially at early stages of an adaptive test when the test length (number of items) is too short to provide an accurate estimate for true θ. It is argued here that selection procedures based on global information should be used, at least at early stages of a test when θ estimates are not likely to be close to the true θ. For this purpose, an item selection procedure based on average global information is proposed. Re sults from pilot simulation studies comparing the usual maximum item information item selection with the pro posed global information approach are reported, indicat ing that the new method leads to improvement in terms of bias and mean squared error reduction under many circumstances. Index terms: computerized adaptive testing, Fisher information, global information, infor mation surface, item information, item response theory, Kullback-Leibler information, local information, test in formation.
Linear Dependence of Gain Scores on Their Components Imposes Constraints on Use and Interpretation: Comment on "Are Simple Gain Scores Obsolete?"
Authors: Humphreys Lloyd G.
Published: March 2007

The properties of gain scores are linearly deter mined by the properties of their components. Thus, the reliability of a gain is uniquely determined by the reliabilities of the components, the correlation be tween them, and their standard deviations. Reliability is not inherently low, but the components of gains used in many investigations make low reliability likely. Correlations of the difference between two measures and a third variate are also determined uniquely by three correlations and two standard de viations. Raw score standard deviations frequently tell more about the measurement metric and how it is used than about the psychological processes underly ing the measurements. Correlations involving gains/ differences cannot be understood adequately unless the essential sample statistics of the components are known and reported. Index terms: change scores, classical test theory, difference scores, gain scores, intraindividual differences, measurement of growth, reliability, test theory, validity.
Credibility Logic and Policy Analysis
Authors: LANDSBERGEN DAVID , BOZEMAN BARRY
Published: March 2007

The early promise of positivistic-based policy analysis was based on the authority of “science.” A “scientific approach” could bring rationality and rigor to public policy-making. But with all this promise and confidence, the actual utilization of policy analysis by decision makers within the last decade has been dismal. The purpose of this article is to suggest that policy analysts need not cling to scientific pretensions to bring some rationality and rigor to policymaking. This article introduces a “credibility model” in which policy analysts bring to the policymaker insights not available from the fund of ordinary knowledge, experience, and intuition that policymakers themselves contribute.
The Search for Impact Indicators
Authors: KRUYTBOSCH CARLOS , BURTON LAWRENCE
Published: March 2007

The rising demand for policy-relevant impact indicators is a product of two relatively recent developments: the success of science indicators in monitoring the achievement of intrinsic (cognitive) goals of science, combined with the advent of political initiatives that seek to improve the performance of science in attaining extrinsic (social) goals of science. The search for policy relevant impact indicators, while it will continue to benefit from scholarly research in social studies of science, presupposes an appropriate accounting scheme that facilitates the organization of impact indicators. One such accounting scheme—the social knowledge system (see Holzner et al., this volume)—has demonstrated its practical utility by drawing us closer to a programmatic goal of the National Science Foundation: the establishment of a system of social impact of science (SIS) indicators (see Dunn et al., this volume) that improves our understanding of science and the way it affects the world around us.
Policy Design and the Development of Policy Indicators
Authors: PETERS B. GUY
Published: March 2007

There is a clear need for prospective indicators which are useful to government policymakers faced with problems of gauging the future social impacts of science and technology. Prospective indicators may be developed by applying a design approach to science policymaking, an approach that incorporates models of causation, instrumentation, and evaluation. Prospective impact indicators seek to establish causal linkages between future policy outcomes and the instruments available for government intervention. Prospective indicators also seek to broaden the range of evaluative criteria beyond those typically used to assess science (e.g., peer review) as well as science policy (e.g., economic analysis). Policy design is central to the development of policy relevant impact indicators (Dunn et al., this volume) that are causal, relational, and normative.
Traditional Media and Culture
Authors: ROE ROBERT C.
Published: March 2007

Over 60 years of American anthropological and sociological research writings have erected a concept of culture that restricts its role in planned change models to one of active or tacit resistance to change. It is suggested that the substitution of a contemporary, dynamic conceptualization of culture as developed by cognitive anthropologists and organizational communication researchers may have significant impact upon (a) our understanding of development, (b) perceptions of the relationship between development and culture, and (c) current formulations addressing the types and effectiveness of alternative communication channels used for planned change.
Explaining Research Utilization
Authors: SUNESSON SUNE , NILSSON KJELL
Published: March 2007

With material from a Swedish study of the utilization of social research in city welfare agencies, the author advocate a sociological analysis of the utilization contexts where use of research takes place. The bases of compliance in the organization and the position of the agencies in regard to conflicts in social welfare politics are shown to have great importance for the way organizations use and invest in knowledge, and case studies show that these factors can change the type of impact of research.

The language of current utilization research tends to treat differences in research use as quantitative differences or as differences in the “functions” or “modes” of research use. The authors point to the hierarchical distribution of knowledge and research use, the activity of users, and the way conflicts influence research utilization as important issues for the explanation of research utilization.
Cost effectiveness comparison of online and manual bibliographic information retrieval
Authors: Flynn T. , Holohan P.A. , Magson M.S. , Munro J.D.
Published: March 2007

A model is proposed for the investigation of the cost- effectiveness of interactive online searching, as an aid towards justification of expenditure to senior management. It is concluded that online bibliographic literature retrieval is considerably more cost-effective than traditional library manual searching, as well as providing additional qualitative advantages.
Problems and challenges in the information society — the next twenty years
Authors: Summit Roger K.
Published: March 2007

Predicting problems is not so different from forecasting technology. In both cases the phenomena are in evidence long before they are widely recognized - they have an incubation period, and their character can be changed during development. That is to say, the information problems of the next twenty years have their roots in the present.

Viewed as a model or system, the information com munity has as participants: authors, primary publishers, secondary publishers, retrieval service vendors, information centres and libraries and patron end-users. The interrelation ships among the participants can be analysed along lines of: (1) economics; (2) politics; (3) professionalism. Complexities arise as a result of the pervasive nature of information needs and uses across government, commercial and non-profit sectors.

This paper explores a few of the myriad interrelation ships to identify both systematic and specific problems cur rently in being, the challenges associated with these problems, and possible outcomes under various assumptive scenarios.
A comparative analysis of the 'information economy' in developed and developing countries
Authors: Karunaratne Neil D. , Cameron Allan
Published: March 2007

A comparative analysis of the structure of the informa tion economy as a function of the stage of development is explored using input-output modelling and data from Australia and Papua New Guinea. The structure of the information-economy and macro-economy implications is analysed using various multipliers, linkage and leakage measures. The empirical results of the study provide insights on: (i) the sectoral gearing ratios within the information and macro-economies; (ii) the causal mechanisms between information growth and development; and (iii) the 'informa tion dependency' of developing economies on developed economies.
An anatomy of innovation: its evolution and present state
Authors: Dijkhuis Willem
Published: March 2007

All truly relevant thinking about innovation presupposes an attitude towards the passing of time and implies an awareness of the state of the threads within the fabric of societies as they existed before they were changed by innovation. Both this attitude and this awareness are based largely on information as digested by the student of innovation over his years as a reflecting individual. On the other hand. and more directly, one can show that information and its links with language also play the role of a necessary condition and ingredient for any mnova tion to come about in specific temporal settings.

These Janus-like aspects of information and time as they are embedded in the innovative processes may be key reasons for the elusive characteristics that technological innovation presently seems to have for policy- and decision-makers.

A sense for the effects of history, not always easily traceable in R & D circles, seems to be indispensable for the creation of fertilising assessments of the evolution, present state and future of innovative process - particularly in an age which takes pride in calling itself the 'information age'.
Information utilization by policy-makers in Nigeria, Part I: Assessing degrees of information consciousness
Authors: Aiyepeku Wilson O.
Published: March 2007

Four measures of 'information consciousness' were identified. and the extent to which federal civil servants in Nigeria related to these measures was determmed. The conclusion was that public policy-makers in Nigeria did not generally have as high a level of 'information conciousness' as they might, but that this level was not as low as had been expected. Most respon dents had the most appropriate, most comprehensive definition of information in a functional context, but a large proportion also did not understand what the definition was all about. It would appear that the educational background and the status of respondents were the most important explanatory variables for their recognition and use of 'gatekeepers of knowledge' as well as the extent to which information was an acknowledged component in analysing their decision situations and their familiarity with expatriate sources of developmental informa tion on Nigeria.
A community clearing house for technological awareness information
Authors: Eisenschitz T.S. , Wedlake L.J.
Published: March 2007

A feasibility study was carried out for the EEC to examine the possibility of establishing an international Clearing House to aid technology transfer. Recent and related initiatives to promote innovation and communications within the Commun ity are described. A scheme is put forward, based on the activities of Industrial Information Transfer agents who would collect information for a National Centre which would then forward it to the Clearing House. In return, National Centres would receive information from the other member states and disseminate it to users. Enthusiasm for such a scheme was demonstrated by means of a questionnaire survey which il lustrated problems but indicated basic approval of the scheme. Finally, suggestions are made for a more thorough evaluation of the scheme.
Physics research in Israel—A preliminary bibliometric analysis
Authors: Arunachalam Subbiah , Dhirendra Rao M.K. , Shrivastava Praveen K.
Published: March 2007

The impact of physics research carried out in Israel on the international literature is assessed from data on publication and citation counts. We have considered in this analysis all papers published from Israel and covered under six of the ten major sections of INSPEC's Physics Abstracts, January-June 1977 (covering condensed matter physics, nuclear and particle physics, atomic and molecular physics and biophysics and physical chemistry) as well as citations to these papers as seen from five annual editions of Science Citation Index, 1977-1981. An analysis of these data permits us to identify: (i) areas of research in which Israel is strong, (ii) highly cited publications, (iii) the distribution of citations over the years, and (iv) how quickly the papers get cited. Israel accounts for less than 1% of the world's physics publications, but undeniably physics done in Israel is an integral part of the mainstream of world physics. Israeli physicists place almost all their work in foreign journals, most of them published from the United States, the Nether lands and the United Kingdom. Many of these journals have a good standing as seen from their high impact factors and immediacy indices. Nearly all papers in our sample have originated in eight institutions, indicating that Israel is free from the common Third World malady of spreading the butter of R&D budget too thinly. Overall, Israeli physics appears to be productive in condensed matter physics, nuclear physics and atomic and molecular physics. However, chemical physics tops the list if one considers both the number of papers published and the cognitive impact these papers have had. Two areas where Israel did not publish much and yet had a few publica tions of high impact are: (i) special theories, interaction models and particle systematics, and (ii) biophysics. Surprisingly for a nation interested in both the military and civilian applications of nuclear energy, Israel's publications in nuclear physics are not as well cited as her publications in many other subfields of physics.
An analysis of ISLA and DEVIL—two experimental public information systems
Authors: Maguire M.C.
Published: March 2007

This article considers the general public as users of com puter based local information systems and reports on two experiments carried out in Leicester's Central Information Bureau. The first experiment, based on the ISLA System (In formation System for the Leicester Area) took place between 1979 and 1980, while the second, based on the DEVIL System (Diary of Events in Leicester) was carried out in 1983. The results of these experiments are used to support discussion on: the role of a public computer facility within an information bureau, the definition of a general public user profile and the features of hardware and software considered important in the design of human-computer interfaces for the public.
Research on information interaction and intelligent information provision mechanisms
Authors: Brooks H.M. , Daniels P.J. , Belkin N.J.
Published: March 2007

Information systems comprise a user, who recognizes that his/her problem is inadequate for attaining some goal, a knowledge resource, which may offer useful information, and some intermediary access mechanism to the knowledge re source. The last two components constitute the information provision mechanism (IPM). The information system we are particularly concerned with is that of document retrieval where the knowledge resource is typically a set of online biblio graphic databases and the intermediary is, at present, a human search analyst.

For a variety of reasons—social, technological and eco nomic—, it has become important to consider what aspects of the IPM can be performed, in an intelligent way, by computer programs. This paper reviews the methods and results of a six-year ongoing series of research projects concerned with this issue, and especially the question of how to design an intelli gent automated system interface. The specifications for this interface have been derived from a study of real life human user-human intermediary information interactions. A variety of methods has been employed, particularly functional dis course analysis, and results are: the specification for a distrib uted expert system architecture; identification and specifica tion of the necessary functions; and proposals for a problem- structure driven human-computer dialogue.
Patent groups and their relationship with journal literature
Authors: Eisenschitz T.S. , Lazard A.M. , Willey C.J.
Published: March 2007

Two samples of British patents and patent applications published in 1980 were assembled concerning pharmaceuticals and food preparation. Other patents were sought, published in the five years either side of 1980, which marked out an extended research programme including the original 1980 patent. About half the 1980 sample belonged to groups.

The overlap of patent with journal publications concerning any aspect of group programmes was sought for a sample of groups. These were found to be much larger than the overlaps between one patent and one article; 60.2% for pharmaceuticals and 25.7% for food preparation patents. They reflect more accurately the disclosure of patent information to the wider scientific community.
Collection and organization of written information by social scientists and humanists: a review and exploratory study
Authors: Case Donald Owen
Published: March 2007

The literature on the information needs and uses of social scientists and humanists tends to ignore the stage of research in which the scholar collects and organizes written informa tion, i.e., the period between locating information and using it. This article reviews literature on information storage in the humanities and social sciences and describes an exploratory study of the content and organization of personal files. In the study, thirty-six professors in a major private university were each interviewed twice during a five month period. During the interview sessions, the scholars were asked to describe the way in which they organize their files. In addition, certain measure ments were taken in their offices: the linear feet of books, journals and other printed material on shelves; the number of filing drawers maintained; and the number of stacks of printed material on surfaces within the office. The findings are de scribed and discussed in the light of previous research. Finally, the article identifies ways in which such research could be used to develop superior information products and services and a better understanding of the process of scholarship.
Time-Life, World Reporter and the secretary: experiments with end-users
Authors: Nicholas David , Harris Kevin , Erbach Gertrud
Published: March 2007

After six months of training Time-Life book researchers to use online databases it is clear that they will not become end-users overnight—despite plentiful training, good facilities, user-friendly interfaces and the like. The reasons for this are less clear but high on the list come: a lack of time (to learn and maintain the necessary searching skills); a general reluctance to abandon the tried and tested—and often pleasurable—con ventional information retrieval methods (there is certainly nothing to suggest that the computer is going to replace the telephone as an information source); and the low priority given to the (formal) information-seeking component of the job (high priority being given to the more visible and pressing elements, like writing and commissioning pictures).

There is little in Time-Life's online experience to lend support to the belief that there will be wide-scale end-user searching in the near future. Online will find its place in the array of information retrieval methods at the disposal of the user and will undoubtedly be used where manual methods have failed: it is unlikely, however, to supplant manual systems that work well and are well-liked.

Secretaries do appear to be well-qualified, and in an excel lent position to become a major end-user group and might indeed pose a threat to the librarian intermediary in the near future.
An evaluation of information sources for retrospective literature searching on occupational diseases
Authors: Price Clive , Burley Rosemary. A.
Published: March 2007

An evaluation of the usefulness of a number of secondary information sources for retrospective literature searching in the occupational diseases subject area is presented. Several sec ondary sources were found to be of value but no single source provided comprehensive retrieval of relevant information. Thus, despite considerable overlap between sources, several must always be searched if all information pertinent to a query is required. Some recommendations are made as to when particu lar secondary sources should be used.
Information management in a district health authority. Case study 3
Authors: Corbishley Heather M.
Published: March 2007

This paper considers the provision of information services within the health service in terms of the various types of information district generated by health services in turn the information required by their managers. It also considers the recent growth in interest in health services information. The development of information services in Cambridge Health Authority is set within this context and reference is made to a recent project designed to devise a strategic plan for the development of information and information technology in Cambridge Health Authonty, which, it is hoped, will provide the district with a firm foundation for information services and information management over the next five years.
Science research in Kuwait—a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Al-Kharafi Faiza , El-Rayyes Nizar , Janini George
Published: March 2007

Review of the scientific output of the State of Kuwait on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its independence. Prior to 1970, only about 100 publications were credited to Kuwaiti institutions. The majority of these papers were medical reports published in local journals. In contrast, the 1970s and 1980s witnessed a steady growth with an average doubling time of three years. In 1983, 185 publications were credited to Kuwaiti institutions, and 80% of these appeared in international jour nals. This represents 1.1 articles per 10000 populations, a respectable figure in comparison to Third World standards While Third World countries put more emphasis on research in the life sciences, the distribution of research publications of Kuwait closely match that of the World's scientific publica tions as a whole as seen from the Science Citation Index. 59% of all Kuwaiti authored articles are in the life sciences as against 55% of the international literature. 62.6% of Kuwaiti publications appeared in journals with impact factors ranging from 0- < 1 as against 46.6% of the international literature, and 3.3% of Kuwaiti publications appeared in journals with impact factor > 4 as against 65% of the international litera ture. Furthermore, 43% of Kuwaiti publications were not cited at all as against 25% of the international literature, and Kuwa iti publications averaged 1.8 citations per publication over a 5 year period as against a world average of 4.8 and a Latin American average of 2.9.

Overall, the average citedness of papers published from Kuwait comes close to matching that of India, but is inferior in comparison with the standards set by the scientifically ad vanced countries. On the positive side Kuwaiti science appears to be steadily improving.
Modelling the communication, distribution, transmission or transfer of scientific information
Authors: Le Coadic Yves F.
Published: March 2007

The processes involved in distributing scientific informa tion, i.e. information produced by and for the sciences, assume various names: communication, diffusion, transmission, trans fer, flow, spread, circulation, dissemination, etc.

Depending on the conceptual point of view, the distribu tion processes are patterned in different ways. As physics is currently the leading scientific field, physical science models are often used. Two of them are studied here and their limita tions are shown.

But biology and biological models have also attracted cer tain information scientists, and again we show the limitations to these.

All of these processes are, however, of a social kind, which indicates that only sociological models, and particularly those of mathematical sociology are appropriate in studying this phenomena. Various models are discussed here and a new conceptual approach is proposed.
Careers and the occupational image
Authors: Slater Margaret
Published: March 2007

Drawing on matenal from studies conducted by the author, in the area of manpower, education and training, during the 1980s, this paper covers several linked themes. Self-actualiza tion within the employing organization is explored, including the effect of employer and user images of library-information work. Formal and informal vocational education is also ex amined, in relation to curriculum development and the un derlying, but largely unanswered question of 'education for what?' The emerging market and the traditional market for library-information professionals are also considered, in con junction with the stereotype as a conditioner of acceptability in new employment venues.
Techniques for the measurement of clustering tendency in document retrieval systems
Authors: El-Hamdouchi Abdelmoula , Willett Peter
Published: March 2007

The use of automatic classification techniques has been suggested as a means of increasing the effectiveness of docu ment retrieval systems; however, the automatic generation of a classification requires a large amount of computation, and it is thus of importance to know whether this computation will result in material increases in retrieval performance. This paper describes three methods - the overlap test, the nearest neighbour test and the density test - which can be used to measure the degree of clustering tendency in a set of docu ments. It is shown that the three tests are not in complete agreement with each other in their evaluation of the degree of clustering tendency present in seven document test collections. A comparison of the predicted degree of clustering tendency with the relative effectiveness of cluster and non-cluster searches suggests that the density test gives the most useful results; it also has the advantage that it does not require query and relevance data and can thus be used in a predictive manner when a document collection is to be processed for the first time.
A methodology for user charge estimation in numeric online databanks. Part I: A review of numeric databanks and charging principles
Authors: Järvelin Kalervo
Published: March 2007

Recent studies on user charging in information retrieval services emphasize charging on the basis of the information retrieved from the databases or its retrieval costs as being more justified and appropriate as bases for charging than the tradi tional connect-time. When these charging bases are apphed in numeric online databanks, the charges vary over a very broad range, depending on factors which the users cannot know or manage. Therefore the users cannot estimate their charges in advance, prior to query execution. This has many undesirable practical consequences on information retrieval and informa tion seeking. In order to avoid such consequences and to achieve full advantage of such charging bases, user charge estimation tools which automatically estimate the charges on the basis of user query statements must be provided in the query systems to databanks. A novel and systematic methodol ogy for user charge estimation, to be applied by the tools, is reviewed. The methodology has been developed in the context of the relational data model. By applying the methodology, user charges for the information retrieved and its retneval costs for relational algebra quenes can be estimated generally, accu rately and conveniently. In addition to the charge estimates, the methodology provides rich descriptions of the query results that essentially support query formulation. Therefore the user can concentrate on query formulation with a clear idea about the query result and his charges in mind. The architecture of the methodology is such that the methodology can be extented to further charging bases in information retneval (e.g. data communication costs). In the article, the state of the art and trends in the development and use of databanks and in the charging principles of information retrieval are first reviewed. The methodology is then descnbed and special attention is paid to the design of user interfaces of the tools based on the methodology.
A methodology for user charge estimation in numeric online databanks. Part II
Authors: Järvelin Kalervo
Published: March 2007

Recent studies on user charging information retrieval services emphasize charging on the basis of the information retneved from the databases or its retneval costs as being more justified and appropnate as bases for charging than the tradi tional connect-time. When these charging bases are applied in numeric online databanks, the charges vary over a very broad range, depending on factors which the users cannot know or manage. Therefore the users cannot estimate their charges in advance, prior to query execution. This has many undesirable practical consequences for information retrieval and informa tion seeking. In order to avoid such consequences and to achieve full advantage of such charging bases, user charge estimation tools which automatically estimate the charges on the basis of user query statements must be provided in the query systems to databanks. A novel and systematic methodol ogy for user charge estimation, to be applied by the tools, is reviewed. The methodology has been developed in the context of the relational data model. By applying the methodology, user charges for the information retrieved and its retneval costs for relational algebra queries can be estimated generally, accu rately and conveniently. In addition to the charge estimates, the methodology provides rich descriptions of the query results that essentially support query formulation. Therefore the user can concentrate on query formulation with a clear idea about the query results and his charges in mind. The architecture of the methodology is such that the methodology can be extended to further charging bases in information retrieval (e.g. data communication costs). In Part I of the article, the state of the art and trends in the development and use of databanks and in the charging principles of information retneval were reviewed. The methodology is now descnbed and special attention is paid to the design of user interfaces of the tools based on the methodology.
Characteristic scores and scales in assessing citation impact
Authors: Glänzel Wolfgang , Schubert András
Published: March 2007

A method for classifying ranked observations into rank- specific categories is presented. This method is independent of any particular bibliometric law, but it has interesting proper ties for citation rates having a Paretian (otherwise known as Lotka) distnbution. The method is applied to assess the emi nence of scientific journals.
The Searcher/Information Interface Project 2: manual and online searching - pilot study
Authors: Rowley J.E. , Butcher D.R.
Published: March 2007

The article describes a pilot research project which uses the output of a number of searchers performing the same search, to identify those factors that affect search success. The empha sis is not on any specific printed source or database, but rather on the underlying search process, which involves the use of a number of different information sources. Some comparisons have been made between manual and online sources. Some of the issues that have affected relative manual/online search success are: subject coverage of sources, selection of relevant references, time span coverage of databases, equivalence of sources, errors, abstracts, index and search terminology, search strategies, browsing, thesauri, search time, learning and refer ence location. The project is seen as the basis for a more controlled investigation into the relative success of the searcher/information interface in searching manual and online sources, respectively.
Intelligence and information systems
Authors: Vickery Brian , Vickery Alina
Published: March 2007

The paper considers the nature of intelligent systems, and the kmds of information skill that need to be incorporated in intelligent information software. It then proceeds to consider the online search process and the problems involved in provid ing intelligent aid for the inexperienced searcher.
The generation and transfer of agricultural knowledge: a bibliometric study of a research network
Authors: Thorpe Peter , Pardey Philip G.
Published: March 2007

Publication-based indicators of agricultural research activ ity were developed to assist in the evaluation of the knowledge transfer component of an agricultural research network involv ing the six Southern Cone countries of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay). The generation of agricultural knowledge in these countries, as reflected by the CAB Abstracts database, has grown by about 50% over the period 1973 to 1982. The academic sector accounts for a substantial amount of this activity, about 40%. There is however significant cross-country variation in these figures.

The transfer of agricultural knowledge among agncultural researchers in the region, and between these researchers and the world's research community, was studied using the SCI SEARCH database. The region generally relies heavily on international sources of knowledge; domestic sources are also important, especially in the larger systems, while regional sources are of only minor importance. There is some evidence, however, that in recent years regional sources may have be come relatively more important for the smaller research sys tems. There is also a suggestion that the region's researchers, particularly those in the smaller systems, are drawing on an ageing knowledge base.
Information scientists and 1992: a personal view from a British perspective
Authors: Davies J. Eric
Published: March 2007

Following a short discussion of the stimulus to information demand created by the approach of the Single European Market, the impact on the information science profession in Britain is outlined under seven main themes. Attention is focused on; the quality and quantity of work, education and training requirements, markets for information and the need for marketing, competition for services and employment, the importance of language skills, the diversity of information sources relevant to European developments, and the role of information technology. Examples of the contribution which British library and information science can make to a success ful Europe, and the challenges faced are briefly described. A postscript notes the recent changes in Eastern Europe and how they impinge on the Communities.