Teaching a heuristic approach to information retrieval

To become life-long learners, students must acquire information retrieval skills for future as well as current information needs. This article describes how the Library Use Instruction Program at Northwest Missouri State University incorporates a heuristic model in which students continually evaluate and refine their information seeking practices while progressing through all levels of courses in diverse disciplines. Collegial partnerships with departmental faculty and ongoing instructional assessment are essential to the success of the program.     

A keynesian approach to University library management

Abstract

The “Afrocentric-Eurocentric approaches” dichotomy is strangely out-of-place in an African context and is curiously out-of-touch with the issues that are significant in library and information work. In its predominant perception of itself as a “counter-offensive” to Eurocentrism, the Afrocentric approach is drawn into a struggle that can only entrench contrary positions and serve divisive interests. More importantly, and as a challenge to information science theorists, Afrocentrism requires an examination of both its overt Pan-Africanist overtones and its covert potentially racist undercurrents. It is proposed that the Afrocentrism vs Eurocentrism duality needs to be deconstructed. The debate is better-suited as a vehicle to sharpen concepts in the design of library and information services that recognize universal continuities.     

A suggested approach to a library building program

The preliminary building program suggested in this paper makes use of outlines, graphs, charts, and lists, rather than long-winded paragraphs, to describe the needs, objectives, and philosophy of the library. It is hoped that a short, concise, but detailed, report using these methods will save time and make the report more attractive to read, thereby encouraging the many people who will need to assist in the building planning to use the report.     

Hirsch-type approach to the 2nd generation citations

Scientific papers are usually assessed by a number of direct citations. The number of citations received by direct citations (2nd generation citations) has been considered as an alternative criterion of evaluation. Such an approach overrates the papers, which received citation(s) in one or in a few very highly cited papers. Hirsch-type approach to the 2nd generation citations suggested by Schubert was used to combine the impact and quantity of 1st generation citations into one number.     

Auto-hermeneutics: A phenomenological approach to information experience

The need for methodologically rigorous approaches to the study of human experience in LIS has emerged in recent years. Auto-hermeneutics is a research approach that offers a systematic way to study one’s own experiences with information, allowing investigators to explore yet-undocumented contexts, setting precedents for further work in these areas and ultimately deepening our understanding of information experiences. This articulation of auto-hermeneutics is based on the phenomenological method of Heidegger and draws principles from systematic self-observation and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Similarities and differences among auto-hermeneutics and other automethodologies are discussed, along with guidelines for assessing auto-hermeneutic research. Finally, an example of an auto-hermeneutic study illustrates the unique contributions this approach affords.     

An axiomatic approach to bibliometric rankings and indices

This paper analyzes several well-known bibliometric indices using an axiomatic approach. We concentrate on indices aiming at capturing the global impact of a scientific output and do not investigate indices aiming at capturing an average impact. Hence, the indices that we study are designed to evaluate authors or groups of authors but not journals. The bibliometric indices that are studied include classic ones such as the number of highly cited papers as well as more recent ones such as the h-index and the g-index. We give conditions that characterize these indices, up to the multiplication by a positive constant. We also study the bibliometric rankings that are induced by these indices. Hence, we provide a general framework for the comparison of bibliometric rankings and indices.     

An inquiry-based learning approach to teaching information retrieval

The study of information retrieval (IR) has increased in interest and importance with the explosive growth of online information in recent years. Learning about IR within formal courses of study enables users of search engines to use them more knowledgeably and effectively, while providing the starting point for the explorations of new researchers into novel search technologies. Although IR can be taught in a traditional manner of formal classroom instruction with students being led through the details of the subject and expected to reproduce this in assessment, the nature of IR as a topic makes it an ideal subject for inquiry-based learning approaches to teaching. In an inquiry-based learning approach students are introduced to the principles of a subject and then encouraged to develop their understanding by solving structured or open problems. Working through solutions in subsequent class discussions enables students to appreciate the availability of alternative solutions as proposed by their classmates. Following this approach students not only learn the details of IR techniques, but significantly, naturally learn to apply them in solution of problems. In doing this they not only gain an appreciation of alternative solutions to a problem, but also how to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses. Developing confidence and skills in problem solving enables student assessment to be structured around solution of problems. Thus students can be assessed on the basis of their understanding and ability to apply techniques, rather simply their skill at reciting facts. This has the additional benefit of encouraging general problem solving skills which can be of benefit in other subjects. This approach to teaching IR was successfully implemented in an undergraduate module where students were assessed in a written examination exploring their knowledge and understanding of the principles of IR and their ability to apply them to solving problems, and a written assignment based on developing an individual research proposal.     

A systematic approach to normalization in probabilistic models

Every information retrieval (IR) model embeds in its scoring function a form of term frequency (TF) quantification. The contribution of the term frequency is determined by the properties of the function of the chosen TF quantification, and by its TF normalization. The first defines how independent the occurrences of multiple terms are, while the second acts on mitigating the a priori probability of having a high term frequency in a document (estimation usually based on the document length). New test collections, coming from different domains (e.g. medical, legal), give evidence that not only document length, but in addition, verboseness of documents should be explicitly considered. Therefore we propose and investigate a systematic combination of document verboseness and length. To theoretically justify the combination, we show the duality between document verboseness and length. In addition, we investigate the duality between verboseness and other components of IR models. We test these new TF normalizations on four suitable test collections. We do this on a well defined spectrum of TF quantifications. Finally, based on the theoretical and experimental observations, we show how the two components of this new normalization, document verboseness and length, interact with each other. Our experiments demonstrate that the new models never underperform existing models, while sometimes introducing statistically significantly better results, at no additional computational cost.     

A collaborative approach to teaching genetics information sources

Rapid advancement and new information sources in many academic fields offer expanded opportunities for collaborative teaching Campus-wide programs, such as UWired, are effective in stimulating collaborative teaching, but efforts of individual faculty members and librarians can also produce effective courses This article describes how bioinformatics sources were introduced to students in a human genetics course taught by a professor and a librarian at the University of Tennessee Course content, learning objectives, and student assignments are covered, as well as roles of the professor and librarian m teaching the course The librarian attended each class session, which proved effective in integrating him into the course and expanded his knowledge of how genetics information is used by researchers     

21世纪期刊出版探讨

21世纪是一个信息和知识时代，互联网在全球普及，网络生活方式开始强烈地影响期刊的读者、作者和出版者，我国的期刊出版面临时代新需求与国际竞争的机遇和挑战，必须引入创新观念和具有全面现代综合素质的编辑人才，及时向网络出版的方向过渡。     

A strategic approach to developing e-learning capability for healthcare

Objectives: This article examines a strategic approach to developing e‐learning capability to enhance learning opportunities for the workforce of a healthcare organization. Emphasis is given to the procurement of a bespoke Managed Learning Environment (MLE). Strategic organizational issues impacting on future e‐learning developments are considered. Methods: The 2‐year implementation plan was evaluated through a two phase external research project. The first phase focused on the effectiveness of a training programme designed to build capacity for e‐learning within the Northern area and also included a virtual learning environment usability study which informed the MLE specification. The second phase evaluation is ongoing during 2005 and interim findings are presented. Results: The MLE has been piloted and on‐line learning packages have been acquired. There has been a phased take‐up of e‐learning opportunities and e‐tutor training. Some virtual Communities of Practice have been established. Key organizational issues have been identified and ongoing findings are informing strategic planning. Conclusions: The healthcare MLE is offering enhanced learning opportunities and assisting area healthcare providers in training their dispersed workforces. Blended learning strategies are most successful. The need for protected time for e‐learning is a key issue, financial savings are available. Progress has been slowed by identified organizational constraints—the MLE's benefits are widely recognized.     

A multidisciplinary approach to information and critical appraisal instruction

The formulation of clinical decisions based on evidence requires the ability to locate information and evaluate it critically. A ten-week critical appraisal course for third-year medical students, taught cooperatively by library and Department of Medicine faculty, integrates education in the selection, evaluation, and application of information to patient care. The course is distinctive in that information management skills are taught by a multidisciplinary team in a problem-based format as part of the compulsory medical curriculum. Medical faculty provided instruction in reading and evaluating research methodology, as well as statistical analyses in published reports, using clinical scenarios and related journal articles at weekly sessions. Library faculty provided instruction in locating pertinent research on a sample clinical problem using standard printed and computerized indexes and local library resources, and presented criteria for selecting the most useful and significant works from those retrieved. Library faculty also met individually with students to provide instruction in online literature searching. Based on formal evaluation and informal feedback, the course was well received; it effectively presents the literature search as an integral part of critical appraisal of the medical literature and of the clinical decision-making process.     

An empirical approach to certain concepts of logical proof

To develop a consistent approach to the basic concepts of logical proof in a theory of rhetoric requires a philosophical base of analysis. An empirical approach makes possible a consistent and precise explanation of the hey concepts of logical proof in a manner closely approximating what we vaguely have in mind when we use terms like “fact”; and “proof in common sense ways.