STUDIES IN EDUCATION & PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2006 | Volume:7 | Issue:1|Papers Count:11

The present research was designed to identify the subjective and, objective relevance assessment criteria used by graduate students of Ferdowsi University and to compare these criteria with the document elements used by search engines ranking algorithms for ranking the retrieved documents. The statistical universe included the graduate students enrolled in the university in the years 2002-2004. 335 students were chosen as the sample by using the randomized proportional classified sampling method. The needed data were collected by two types of questionnaires. The findings indicate that students pay attention to certain document elements (relevance categories) and assess the retrieved documents by search engines through attributing defined qualifications and specifications to them (relevance criteria). The results suggest that students in addition to having certain subjective and objective criteria, consider special priorities to the document elements while assessing the relevance of documents in the subjective situation. Based on the findings students use different criteria in subjective situations and in a real information seeking situation (searching session).There are also significant differences between the students of four disciplines (humanity, science, engineering and agriculture) (intergroup and intragroup) in paying attention to the relevance assessment criteria in subjective and real conditions of assessing the relevance of documents. Also the results showed that the elements: title, abstract, language and content are the most referred to by the students.

This paper presents a new approach to query expansion in search engines through non-topical terms (NITs). Such terms can be used in conjunction with topical terms (ITs) to improve precision in retrieval results. In the first phase of the research, 20 topical queries in two domains (Health and the Social Sciences) were carried out in Google and 200 Web documents (800 pages) from the retrieved list were textually analysed. 1071 non-topical terms were identified. The frequency of the NITs showed that 14.5% were shared between the two domains, 85.5% were domain-specific, 62.4% were non-topical, 37.6% were semi-topical, 65% occurred before and 35% occurred after their respective topical terms (ITs). Findings of the second phase showed that query expansion through NTTs particularly in the exact title and URL search options reduced the retrieval hits considerably and led to more precise and manageable results. There was significant difference between Health and the Social Sciences with regard to retrieval results in keyword and exact phrase searches but there was no significant difference in exact title and exact URL searches. With respect to the ratio of exact phrase, exact title, or exact URL retrieval frequencies to keyword frequency findings showed that there were significant differences between the two domains. Concludes that Searching would be more effective and precision would be higher if the searcher enhances the query with adding non-topical terms to the initial query. Also the retrieval results would be more relevant if the query is carried out in the "exact title' or 'URL search' options. Proposes that a knowledge based list of NITs can be developed and be implemented by search engines to help searchers expand their queries. Specialised search engines can develop their own list of NITs by carrying out research using a similar methodology.

This article is presenting results of a study conducted on Iranian Web Opacs in terms of their display characteristics and their user interface. A total Of 6 Iranian Web Opacs that are currently available and accessible on the Web were included in this study, using a checklist that was created for the purpose of this study, based on a model developed by Zavaraqi (2005). According to the findings of the study the overall ranking of the Web OPACs under study from 1st to 6th are as follows respectively: Pars Azarakhsh with 98.2 points, Nosa with 93.6 points, Payam with 89.4 points, UTehran's Oracle with 77.6 points, Irandoc with 68.2 points, and Ganjineh with 36 points. In terms of their user interface, rankings are exactly the same. So is when considering both aspects of user interface and display characteristics. The average points the OPACs under study gained when considering both aspects of user interface and display characteristics together, were as follows: Pars Azarakhsh, 85.49; Nosa 79.34, Payam 74.92, UTehran's Oracle 63.47, Irandoc 56.04, and Ganjineh 27.22. The overall average point considering both aspects for the OPACs under study was calculated as 64.40.

Considering the increasing importance of journals in scientific communication and the introduction of the electronic formats of journals, this article intends to study the use of electronic journals in comparison with printed journals among graduate students of the faculties of Education and Psychology of Ferdowsi, Isfahan, Shahid Chamran, Shiraz and Tehran universities Using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings show that most of the research population use printed journals, but the frequency of electronic journals? Usage is more. Most students evaluate the importance of journals (electronic and printed) as high. Even most of them prefer the electronic format; they evaluate their skill in the use of e-journals as medium and believe they need further instructions for the use of e-journals. Most of them explain that the main reason of their low usage of e-journals is insufficient instruction, and the low speed of retrieval is the main obstacle.

In this article Knowledge sharing, which is the core element of knowledge management (KM), is discussed in the context of reference and information services in academic libraries. Organizational culture and leadership are considered as influential factors in encouraging knowledge sharing among librarians. The main problem for doing this research was lack of awareness about knowledge management practice in academic libraries and the extent to which librarians share knowledge. An electronic questionnaire was sent to RUSA electronic discussion list and 30 librarians most of whom were from America universities, responded.The analysis of collected data shows that almost all librarians believe on the positive effect of knowledge sharing on individual development of librarians as well as the development of their libraries. Most of them share their knowledge through communication and also they have the willingness to share their experiences and ideas with their colleagues. However, it seems that the managers of those libraries are not aware very well of the significance of Knowledge management in everyday life of the library. Findings also reveal that in most libraries there is no documented knowledge management policy upon which they can base decision making and planning.

The aim of this survey research is the investigation of the affective factors in publishing of articles in the scientific journals (local and foreign) in the view of Ferdowsi university faculty members. Research population are all the faculty members of Mashhad Ferdowsi University that have PHD degree (assistant professors, associate professors, professors).From research population by using categorical random sampling method, 132 person were selected. Findings indicate that: The most important affective factors in publishing of articles in the scientific journals in the view of respondents are such as scientific-researching capability of researcher, researcher proficiency in information sources, capavility in scientific writing and freshness of the subject. The experience and place of education have effect on the view of faculty members but their scientific degree has no effect.

This study attempted to identify the factors, which affect the use of Shahid Chamran University libraries from its postgraduate students' viewpoints. The study is of descriptive - exploratory type and the method of research is survey. To collect date, a likert-type scale was designed by the researchers. The target population consisted of 870 postgraduate students among whom a sample of 290 students was randomly selected. The findings of the study revealed that "direct access to the library collections" with 69.3 %, "interest in reading library materials" with 58.9%, and "correspondence of call numbers on printed or computerized, catalog cards to the call numbers of the materials on the shelves" with 56.4% are the most important and top three factors which affect the use of Shahid Chamran University libraries. Using factor analysis method, these factors were divided into 6 categories as follows: Group one: environmental factors Group two: library and librarians Group three: information sources Group four: access to other facilities and services Group five: students' interest and awarenessGroup six: quality and variation of library services.

This article aimed to study National Library Websites (NLW) using webometric methods. The in-links and co-links to national library websites were analyzed to study: firstly, the visibility of these National libraries on the web Secondly, the collaboration on national and international level amongst the studied national library websites. This study found that according to the in-link count of 38 national library websites, 3 were extremely popular and we can call them the most visible national library websites as they come below: 1. United States of America (http://www.loc.gov) 2. Australia (http://www.nla.gov.au) 3. United Kingdom (http://www.bl.uk)The results of the study also showed that, there were 5 clusters (2 cross continental and 3 international) in the studied national library websites. On the other hand, the multidimensional scaling map showed 7 major collaboration clusters: 2 cross national (both European) and 5 international (European, Asian, American, Australian). African national library websites were not seen in these clusters. It means that, African national libraries have a little collaboration with others through their websites. An interpretation on causes for collaborations between these national library websites are provided in this study. Webometrics offers an evaluation measurement that is not available in bibliometrics when an institution is the analytical unit. Nevertheless, webometric research must be conducted with caution because both the data source. (i.e., web-based data) and data collection instrument (i.e., web search engines) have obvious deficiencies.

The role of Internet and Sateuite in developing countries cultural? Political units. Thus this media influence the concept of boundary such as one of the nation? state elements. The consequence of these changes is changing of cultural? Political boundaries and their unadaptation to geographical boundaries. Therefore the question of position and the way of media influences to cultural? political changes is especially important. The relations of identity that exist between territory of culture and politics especially in modern World, hate expose process Socialization and political Socialization? Such as influent channels-According to This investigation, to be uses for evaluation and election of media programs and details, from different factors That have influence to This process, the measure of consciousness based on Scales Such: education, in corn and work. This scales has shown the measure of effect and power of infiltration. Therefore this article can be used for realistic perception of consequence expanded This media in modern world and countries. This study indicated cultural? political changes can not be explanation with one factor, because between this factors and media aren’t casual relation. These factors must be studied beside another factor such as a complex of effective factors. They can be concerned such as mediating variable.

A Project entitled Persian journal citation reports (PJCR) with the objective of ranking Persian journals according to the world ISI standards was began in Regional Library of Science and Technology (RLST) in 2002. In this project the titles of reliable journals of 1999 to 2001 were investigated. According to the produced results, the most cited journals were recognized and introduced each year and for each title, an impact factor, immedicay index, cited half life and citing half life journals were identified. Nowadays, the project of Persian journals citation reports is operationalized on all journals which have obtained their reliability from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education. Persian Journal citation reports are available in RLST website, www. Srlst.com.