DIALOG 2003
Points: 25 pointsAssigned: March 03DUE March 24

General Notes

• I intend these exercises to be serious learning experiences, not just a search for answers. Consequently, they require creative thought about using the techniques you have learned.
• Some questions require more than one step to get an answer. In other words, it may not be obvious.
• I have no problem with you helping each other think about or develop strategies to solve these problems, but I expect each person to answer the questions herself/himself.
• Thoroughly think out and prepare your search strategy(ies) before you go online. This is particularly important with Dialog, because access to Dialog, searching, display of records, and capture of records can be very expensive.
• Do NOT make your search statement to broad. Some students waste a lot of time looking through hundreds of records to find the article with the answer because they made too general a search.
• There may be multiple records that can provide an answer to some of the questions.
• A couple questions may require more than one record to answer the question.
• You may get different answers from other students! Any of the answers may be right or wrong or better or less appropriate than the other.
• Automatic 10% off if the exercise is late unless you have made a previous arrangement (and very good excuse) with me.

Grading

• The assignment must be turned in at the beginning of class.
• There are 25 questions. Each question is worth a maximum of 1 points.
• Some questions require a very specific answer. Other questions may be answered by a variety of records, but records that best answer the information question will get the best grade for that question.

• Automatic 10% off if the exercise is late, NO EXCEPTIONS. You, of course, have the options of emailing or mailing your answer sheets to me if you can not attend the class.
  • Email: Not appropriate for this assignment.
  • Mail: The envelope must be postmarked no later than the date the assignment is due. Again, IT MUST HAVE A MARCH 24 POSTMARK OR BEFORE to not have 10% taken off for lateness.

Format for your the Cover Page for your Assignment

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN SEARCHING DIALOG

• Type pause on if you need no more than a FEW SECONDS or so to do something related to your searching.
• If you need a longer time, type logoff. It is easy enough to get back on.
• DO NOT ORDER DOCUMENTS to be delivered by FAX, MAIL, or E-mail. This is not part of our contract and is VERY EXPENSIVE.
• We have only 6 passwords.
  • So be nice to others who may need to use the same passwords and logoff as soon as you get some records to check.
• DO NOT WAIT TO THE LAST MINUTE TO ANSWER THE SEARCH QUESTIONS, or you will be competing to use the limited number of passwords.

General Notes:

• These 10 questions are worth 1 point each for a total of 10 points.
• Some of these questions we have not discussed. It is up to you to use the Dialog Pocket Guide or Dialog's online Help screens to find the answers.

Format for Answering EACH GENERAL/FUNCTIONAL QUESTION

• These questions can be answered on one page.
• Just type or print the number and answer the question.
• Staple this page behind the cover page.

1

Write a search statement that shows how you would use the appropriate operators to find the words "terrorist" or "terrorists" no more than 4 words before or after either of the two names: "shakira" or "osama bin ladin". (NOTE:  This is not a real search; it is intended to see if you know how to format a search correctly.)

2	How would you use truncation with the word engineer to find documents containing "engineer" and/or "engineers" but not any other word with the root "engineer"?

3	A. What is the URL (web page address) of the Contents page of the Dialog New-User Guide? B. Look at the Frequently Asked Questions: 1-2-3 GO section of Dialog's SolutionBase. What is the address of the Dialog Web page on how to find the headquarters of companies?

4	A. What 3 databases have the most articles in which the name "Osama Bin Laden" (as spelled) is mentioned? B. How many databases in total contain the name "Osama Bin Laden"?

5	Write the type statement for displaying the just the title and indexing (what format number, in other words) plus the keywords in context for set #22, records 3-4, 12, and 30-37.

6	A. Of MEDLINE (1990-present)[ 154], EMBASE (1993-present)[ 72], and Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry News Database [129,130], which database(s) has a "Drug Brand Name" index or field? B. How many DIALINDEX/OneSearch categories is Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry News Database in?

7

A. What is the cost per DialUnit for File:Derwent Biotechnology Resource (Database # 357 )? B. What is the cost of displaying ("Types") one record in format 9 in Derwent Biotechnology Resource ? C. Derwent Biotechnology Resource has records for articles that were published beginning in what year? D. What is the cost of displaying ("Types") one record in LISA (Library & Information Science Abstracts, Database # 61) in format 9?

8

Search for all the occurrences of the company name equals "eBay" in all of the databases. In other words, look in the company field. A. In how many databases does the name "eBay" appear (anywhere)? B. In how many databases does the name "eBay" appear in the company field? C. Select Database #610 (Business Wire), and expand the company name ebay. How many listing are there under, respectively, ebay, ebay inc, and ebay, inc?

9	Write the statement of how you would search for articles from the set for ebay inc (just that one. Ignore ebay or ebay, inc) that you found in the previous question that have anything to do with profitability .

10	A. What is the abbreviation for the OneSearch category Fulltext Patents. B. How many databases are in that category?

SECTION 2: SEARCH QUESTIONS

General Notes:

• These 15 questions are worth 1.0 points each for a total of 15 points.
• You will have to choose the database(s) that you think will answer the question.
• Thoroughly think out and prepare your search strategy(ies) on a Search Form before you go online.
• Do NOT make your search statement to broad. Some students waste their time looking through hundreds of records to find the article with the answer because they made too general a search.
• There may be multiple records that can provide an answer to most questions.
• A couple questions may require more than one record to answer the question.
• You may get different answers from other students! Any of the answers may be right (or wrong).

Format for Answering EACH Search Question

• Turn in a Search Form for each question. Write the number of the question in the upper-right-hand corner.
  • Show your strategy(ies) on the form.
  • Highlight the Search Strategy that worked best for you.
• Staple to this a print-out a page or pages from one (ONLY ONE) article that answers the search question (unless more than 1 is required) . Do not print the entire article. Do not attach the entire article. Just print enough pages of the article to:
  1. Answer the search question
  2. Provide the bibliographic information from the article (including the title, author, publication, pages, date of publication, etc.)
     NOTE: I deduct if you: 1) turn in irrelevant or excess pages or multiple answers, or 2) do not include the bibliographic information.
• HIGHLIGHT: The following MUST be highlighted in a light, highlight color, preferably yellow. I deduct .5 point per question if you do not highlight:
  • The bibliographic information.
  • The actual part of the article that answers the search question.
• Attach these questions in order to the cover page.

Grading:

• Grading of each question in this section will be based on:
  • Mostly on how accurately the record you provide answers the question.
  • The thought that went into your search strategy, including selection of search terms, databases, and search strategy / statement / algorithm.
  • If you followed directions on how to submit your answers for each question.

1	An investor wants to look back at the stock history of the eBay. Specifically, he wants to know: A. How many shares did eBay sell on its inital public offering of stock on the first day in 1998? B. What was the percentage of increase by the end of the first day from the inital offering price?

2

Many businesspeople believe the presence of Osama bin Laden will have an effect on their international business. So, strategic planning for some businesses includes knowing whether he is alive or dead. A. So, is Osama bin Laden alive or dead? The best answer (one which gets the maximum of 1 point) is one that: Is very recent (since the middle or February, preferably since the beginning of March). Is the consensus of a number of highly regarded experts. This may be individuals, organizations, or a community of experts.

3	A librarian heard that a book on bioterrorism first published in 2001 got a major boost by the the events of September 11. She wants you to find a review on it. She believes that the book is by some reporters who work for the New York Times. A. What is the name of the book? B. Who are the authors?

4

An extreme sports entrepeneur is told that his logo, which looks like something coming out of a box, is like the trademarked logo of a medical information service in the San Francisco Bay Area whose name is something like "genie" or "general" or gen ... something. The year the trademarked logo was first published was 1996. The entrepreneur needs to see the trademark record, including an image of the logo. A. What is the company? B. Show an image of the trademark.

5	An inventor in Florence Italy, received the very first patent in the 15th century. It had to do something with boats or ships. A. Who was the inventor? B. What was the patent for?

6	About ten years ago, a small Native American tribe (it has less than 120 members) in Connecticut filed a clam for land. A. What is the name of the tribe. B. Why did they file the land claim.

7

A report in 2001 said that the current CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is higher than it has been in hundreds of thousands of years or, even, more than it has been in millions of years. A. How many years (hundreds of thousands and millions) years were estimated by the scientists? B. What group published the report, and whom did the group consist of?

8

An industrial design student is interested in nanotechnology. Specifically, he wants to find some guidance for his work by looking at a patent for what are called Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems. The particular patent he wants to find combines a sensor, a device for harvesting and storing energy, and a wireless transmitter or transceiver. The student was interested in this patent because it suggested a number of potential applications include for use in aircraft and the human body. Find the patent and highlight: A. The patent number. B. The inventor's name C. Whether there is one or more images available for it.

9	A number of countries are suspected of having (they do have or might have) stockpiles of biological weapons? You must find a record that names at least 13 (thirteen) countries to get the full 1 (one) point. A. Highlight the names of the countries.

10	What percentage of SUVs are actually ever driven off-road? The best answer comes from a survey or a federal agency and will get the full 1 (one) point.

11

A student in trying to find the earliest use of electricity for some functional purpose. Clues: Researchers are not absolutely sure of the actual application, but you need to find an application that is at least 2000 years ago. A. In what country, community, or culture was the electrical technology applied? B. What is the theorized application of electricity?

12	A survey of hundreds of experts several years back ranked President Clinton 23 among all presidents in terms of all of his achievements as a president. A. Find a record that discusses the survey or the publication the survey is originally reported in. B. How many experts were surveyed?

13	Silicon Valley high-speed network technology vendor Extreme Networks has several major competitors. A. Name one or more of the competitors.

14

A medical equipment engineer wants an article about the television camera that can be swallowed. The camera takes and transmits pictures of the stomach and colon for six hours. The engineer believes a company in Israel is developing the device in conjunction with a doctor in the United Kingdom. The engineer needs: A. The name of the company. B. The doctor. C. Information about the camera.

15

A. Which mutual fund had the absolutely highest percentage gain in value (not new cash investments) of ALL mutual funds in the year ending December 31, 2002? NOTE: With the downturn in the market, the "highest" gain may be the "smallest" loss. B. Which no-load mutual fund had the absolutely highest percentage gain in value (not new cash investments) of ALL no-load mutual funds in the year ending December 31, 2002? NOTE: The answer may or may not be the same as for A.

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