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How To Locate Articles on Fuzzy Sets, Fuzzy Systems, and Fuzzy Logic

Article Location Resources

Use the following resources to locate articles that discuss applications of fuzzy sets, fuzzy systems, and fuzzy logic.

ABI/Inform Database

• This database is an outstanding business and management database. It is produced by Bell & Howell/UMI ProQuest
• This database could be useful in discovering business, marketing, financial, and accounting applications of fuzzy sets and fuzzy logic.
• This is a full-text database. Many articles are online
• Remote access to this database is available (the password is the barcode number on your MSOE ID card)

For this class assignment, you will probably want to spend more time searching a technical database (see below). However, let's just spend a moment with this database in order to point out some common database search tips.

 

Common Database Search Tips: Case Study -- ABI/Inform

Take a moment to study the Help documentation.

• Recall that you are searching true databases, not search engines.
• Help documentation can save you considerable time by quickly familiarizing you with the search syntax and protocols of the database that you are searching.
• Pay attention to concepts such as truncation. In ABI/Inform, for example, the following truncation is employed:
  • ? is used to replace many characters. For example, operat? = operation, operations, operational, operator, operated, etc.
  • * is used to replace one character. For example, educat** = educated, educator
    

Be sure to use the most powerful search features available.

• In ABI/Inform, for example, three search options are available: Basic, Guided, and Natural Language. Most database services offer some sort of advanced searching option: use it. In addition, natural language searching is becoming an increasingly popular option. Natural language searching has the advantage of allowing you to search in the same manner that you would speak to someone about your information request; in other words, you can ignore database search syntax. The disadvantage is that the technology is such that results are not always relevant, precise, or accurate. However, use this option, too, if it is available.

Be aware of, and use effectively, various search features and limiters, if they are available

• In ABI/Inform, for example, you can limit by date.
• In ABI/Inform, you can limit searching to the citation and abstracts of articles, or you can also search the full-text of articles.

Use Controlled (or Standardized) Language

• If possible, use valid subject headings in your search. This increases the chance for you to obtain articles that are generally about the subject that you are searching on, and to avoid so-called "false drops".
• Do a keyword search first, and then study the subject terms that have been assigned.

Examples of Searches and Their Effectiveness

The following searches are illustrative of the nuances that are sometimes entailed in database searching.

The following searches were conducted in ABI/Inform. Only 1999-current articles were searched. In addition, the full-text of articles was searched.

"fuzzy set applications"

• No articles were found using this method of searching. Interestingly, this method of searching is quite common on Web search engines.
• The intent of the search was to locate articles on "fuzzy set applications". The fact that the database did not return any hits does not mean that no relevant articles are available.
• Instead, it simply means that no articles were located with this exact phrase. Quotation marks are required for phrases in ABI/Inform that contain more than 3 words.

fuzzy set applications

• A total of 18 articles are retrieved with this search.
• Some of the articles may be useful; others are clearly "false drops".
• The result set occurs because the database treats the search in the following manner: fuzzy AND set AND applications. In other words, articles are retrieved that feature all 3 words, but not necessarily as a phrase.

Natural Language Search: fuzzy set applications

• Once again, a total of 18 articles are are retrieved, but only one is given a relevance ranking of five stars.
• Some of these articles may be useful; others are "false drops".

(fuzzy PRE/0 set) AND applications

• A total of 26 articles are retrieved with this search. Several of them would likely be useful.
• This is an example of an advanced search. The "PRE/0" links "fuzzy" and "set" as a phrase (it means "search for the word 'set' preceded by exactly 0 words before the word 'fuzzy' appears).

SUB(fuzzy logic) AND applications

• Studying the results of some of the searches above reveals that articles which describe fuzzy set applications are not assigned a subject heading of "fuzzy sets". This is because this particular database does not employ this phrase as controlled vocabulary.
• Instead, this database employs the term "fuzzy logic" as controlled vocabulary to describe articles dealing with fuzzy sets, fuzzy systems, and fuzzy logic.
• This search retrieves 18 articles. None of the articles are "false drops".

You should be aware of the importance of many of these concepts in other databases. In other databases, though, the details may vary. For example, truncation may employ different wild card characters, etc.