The Fox-Base Approach

Abstract

Chapter II introduced online cocitation counts retrieval using Dialog Classic and citation index files. Certainly Dialog Classic is an attractive alternative in that the user is using the readily available bibliographic databases and retrieval software. The majority of ACA research has used ISI databases and Dialog Classic to retrieve cocitation counts. However, this approach has well-known technical limitations as discussed earlier. They include the issue of Multiple Authorship, Name-Homographs, and Synonyms. This chapter introduces an alternative approach to retrieving a cocitation count from the custom databases through the system we have designed and implemented. Custom database and retrieval systems need time and investment to develop, but they can manage most of the technical limitations discussed. The book presents two other alternative approaches that can be used to retrieve cocitation counts in lieu of using ISI citation index files and Dialog Classic. This chapter introduces the fox-base approach in developing custom databases and the cocitation matrix generation system. The first part is concerned with the design of databases. The second part describes the cocitation retrieval system. We also discuss how our system can eliminate or minimize the technical limitations of the Thomson ISI database and Dialog Classic Software system.