INS3707 EXAM
PACK 2024
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
FOR ASSISTANCE CONTACT
EMAIL:
,
, CONTENTS
Page
Introduction v
Learning unit 1: Information organisation, seeking and retrieval 1
1.1 Introduction 2
1.2 Information behaviour 2
1.3 The search strategy for an information need 4
1.3.1 Information infrastructure 6
1.3.2 Analysis of an information need 8
1.3.3 Selection of the information sources 9
1.3.4 Formulation of a search strategy 10
1.3.5 Evaluation of the search results 10
1.3.6 Electronic searching behaviour 11
1.4 Summary 11
Learning unit 2: Search heuristics and strategies 12
2.1 Introduction 13
2.2 A model for information retrieval 14
2.3 Information need as a point of departure 15
2.4 Selecting information sources and information systems 19
2.5 Search strategies 24
2.5.1 Selecting terms 25
2.5.2 Combining search terms and applying special search
techniques 28
2.5.3 Restricting the search to certain fields 28
2.6 Different approaches 30
2.7 Displaying search results – how to utilise these 31
2.8 Search heuristics 32
2.8.1 Heuristics to retrieve more information 33
2.8.2 Heuristics to retrieve less information 33
2.9 General hints 33
2.10 General errors to look out for 34
2.11 From basic techniques to insight into the search process 35
2.12 Summary 35
Learning unit 3: Internet and information searches 36
3.1 Introduction 37
3.2 Similarities between internet retrieval aids, traditional
online and CD-ROM databases 38
3.3 WWW directories, meta sites, subject portals and search
engines 40
3.4 Types of search engines 46
3.5 The internet and information retrieval 51
3.6 Summary 51
Learning unit 4: Practical retrieval databases 53
4.1 Introduction 54
4.2 Types of information systems 54
4.2.1 WWW search engines 55
INS3707/1 (iii)
, 4.2.2 Databases 55
4.3 Summary 61
Learning unit 5: Alerting services 62
5.1 Introduction 63
5.2 Alerting services and environmental scanning 63
5.3 Different kinds of alerting services 66
5.4 Summary 78
Learning unit 6: Designing personal websites, blogs and wikis 80
6.1 Introduction 81
6.2 Designing a website 82
6.3 Blogs and wikis 85
6.4 Summary 89
Learning unit 7: Designing a personal database 90
7.1 Introduction 90
7.2 Personal information management systems 91
7.3 Definition of a “database” 91
7.4 Value of a personal database 92
7.5 Steps involved in the design of a personal database 93
7.6 Data structure 95
7.7 Software for personal bibliographic databases 103
7.8 Success of a database 104
7.9 Electronic downloading of records and copyright issues 105
7.10 Summary 105
Learning unit 8: Abstracting and Indexing 110
8.1 Introduction 111
8.1.1 Definition of “abstracts” and different types of abstracts 111
8.1.2 The importance of writing and using abstracts 117
8.1.3 Steps involved in and guidelines for the writing of abstracts 117
8.2 Introducing indexing and indexes 127
8.2.1 Definition of “indexing” and “indexes” and different
types of indexes 128
8.2.2 The importance of indexing 129
8.2.3 Standards for and aids in indexing 129
8.2.4 Steps involved in the indexing process 129
8.3 Summary 136
Learning unit 9: Aids for controlling vocabulary thesauri 138
9.1 Introduction 138
9.2 Definition of a “thesaurus” 140
9.3 The importance of a thesaurus 144
9.4 The structure of a thesaurus 145
9.5 Compiling a thesaurus 155
9.6 Assessment of a thesaurus 173
9.7 Summary 173
(iv)
PACK 2024
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
FOR ASSISTANCE CONTACT
EMAIL:
,
, CONTENTS
Page
Introduction v
Learning unit 1: Information organisation, seeking and retrieval 1
1.1 Introduction 2
1.2 Information behaviour 2
1.3 The search strategy for an information need 4
1.3.1 Information infrastructure 6
1.3.2 Analysis of an information need 8
1.3.3 Selection of the information sources 9
1.3.4 Formulation of a search strategy 10
1.3.5 Evaluation of the search results 10
1.3.6 Electronic searching behaviour 11
1.4 Summary 11
Learning unit 2: Search heuristics and strategies 12
2.1 Introduction 13
2.2 A model for information retrieval 14
2.3 Information need as a point of departure 15
2.4 Selecting information sources and information systems 19
2.5 Search strategies 24
2.5.1 Selecting terms 25
2.5.2 Combining search terms and applying special search
techniques 28
2.5.3 Restricting the search to certain fields 28
2.6 Different approaches 30
2.7 Displaying search results – how to utilise these 31
2.8 Search heuristics 32
2.8.1 Heuristics to retrieve more information 33
2.8.2 Heuristics to retrieve less information 33
2.9 General hints 33
2.10 General errors to look out for 34
2.11 From basic techniques to insight into the search process 35
2.12 Summary 35
Learning unit 3: Internet and information searches 36
3.1 Introduction 37
3.2 Similarities between internet retrieval aids, traditional
online and CD-ROM databases 38
3.3 WWW directories, meta sites, subject portals and search
engines 40
3.4 Types of search engines 46
3.5 The internet and information retrieval 51
3.6 Summary 51
Learning unit 4: Practical retrieval databases 53
4.1 Introduction 54
4.2 Types of information systems 54
4.2.1 WWW search engines 55
INS3707/1 (iii)
, 4.2.2 Databases 55
4.3 Summary 61
Learning unit 5: Alerting services 62
5.1 Introduction 63
5.2 Alerting services and environmental scanning 63
5.3 Different kinds of alerting services 66
5.4 Summary 78
Learning unit 6: Designing personal websites, blogs and wikis 80
6.1 Introduction 81
6.2 Designing a website 82
6.3 Blogs and wikis 85
6.4 Summary 89
Learning unit 7: Designing a personal database 90
7.1 Introduction 90
7.2 Personal information management systems 91
7.3 Definition of a “database” 91
7.4 Value of a personal database 92
7.5 Steps involved in the design of a personal database 93
7.6 Data structure 95
7.7 Software for personal bibliographic databases 103
7.8 Success of a database 104
7.9 Electronic downloading of records and copyright issues 105
7.10 Summary 105
Learning unit 8: Abstracting and Indexing 110
8.1 Introduction 111
8.1.1 Definition of “abstracts” and different types of abstracts 111
8.1.2 The importance of writing and using abstracts 117
8.1.3 Steps involved in and guidelines for the writing of abstracts 117
8.2 Introducing indexing and indexes 127
8.2.1 Definition of “indexing” and “indexes” and different
types of indexes 128
8.2.2 The importance of indexing 129
8.2.3 Standards for and aids in indexing 129
8.2.4 Steps involved in the indexing process 129
8.3 Summary 136
Learning unit 9: Aids for controlling vocabulary thesauri 138
9.1 Introduction 138
9.2 Definition of a “thesaurus” 140
9.3 The importance of a thesaurus 144
9.4 The structure of a thesaurus 145
9.5 Compiling a thesaurus 155
9.6 Assessment of a thesaurus 173
9.7 Summary 173
(iv)
