[170] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: FirstSearch
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Don Carlin)
Tue May 5 14:13:52 1992
Date: Tue, 5 May 1992 13:07:35 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Don Carlin <CARLIND%APSU.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Not as far as you might expect. 10,000 searches divided among
2,000 students averages 5 searches per student. While that may
sound like a fair number, remember FirstSearch charges by the
search. If I understand it correctly, OCLCs definition of a
search is a search statement followed by pressing the send-key. A
search statement can be complex, incorporating booleans and
nested expressions or it can be as simple as single statement that
will require narrowing in subsequent sets. If you haven't yet
explored FirstSearch, you might be surprised by how many search
statements are required to end up with a manageable answer set.
The real answer to your question, Rima, is how efficiently are
your undergraduates searching Eric and Psychlit? Chances are your
students will be no more efficient searching FirstSearch than
they are searching Eric and Psychlit on CD-ROM.
Don Carlin
