A program for machine-mediated searching

A technique of online instruction and assistance to bibliographic data base searchers called Individualized Instruction for Data Access (IIDA) is being developed by Drexel University. IIDA assists searchers by providing feedback based on real-time analysis while searches are being performed. Extensive help facilities which draw on this analysis are available to users. Much of the project's experimental work, as described elsewhere 1–3], is concerned with the process of searching and the behavior of searchers. This paper will largely address itself to the project's computer system, which is being developed by subcontract with the Franklin Institute's Science Information Services.