38 - iassist quarterly End user searching and data: the Graduate Business Resource Center experience by Rona Ostrow' Deputy Director Graduate Business Resource Center Baruch College City University of New York Introduction The Graduate Business Resource Center of Baruch College, C.U.N.Y. is a technology based facility located in close proximity to the School of Business but physically separated from the library. It is an attempt to serve a population of approximately 3000 graduate students and faculty in the School of Business and Public Administration without having an actual graduate level business library. Since there are so many of them, and so few of us, we have emphasized enduser applications wherever possible. Moreover, we feel that part of our mission is to prepare the graduate students for 'Presented at the International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology (IASSIST) Conference held in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. on May 26-29, 1988 the "real" world of business they'll discover upon graduation. We aim, therefore, to make available to them those data sources which they are likely to encoimter within the business community or to which they can request access once employed by a firm. Our goals are to use access points that are as user friendly as possible and to teach the students where and how to obtain the data. We do not attempt to analyze the data, but do make available such software programs as Lotus 1-2-3 to help them analyze it on their own. Of course, many of our constituents, particularly faculty members, have complex data needs beyond those of the average student/enduser. These needs are referred to otir Data Resources Service, headed by Professor Siman and our Computerized Information Services, headed by Professor Lowe. Since both of my colleagues have already addressed to you, I'd like to concentrate on those areas of our service which do indeed focus on enduser and user-friendly services and which meet the needs of the average data user at this level. Many of our constituents need data that is readily available to them once they know it exists. For example, our students often request such data as demographics, market share, market segmentation figures, advertising reach, financials, and usage of materials in production. Our role in the GBRC is to publicize the available data, emphasize new user-friendly methods of access, and teach the endusers how to meet their own data requirements. Spreading the Word Publicizmg the available sotirces is a major function of our Center. The GBRC publishes NewsAlerts several times each semester to alert both students and faculty to new data sources. Summer 1988 iassist quarterly - 39 programs, demonstralions, and services. (See figures #1 and #2). By bringing new datafiles and services to the attention of our constituency, we are trying, in essence, to "create a market" of potential users. Typically, our users may not even be aware that such data exists and, if they are, may not realize how they can use it in their research. Some NewsAlerts focus on new datasets available through the Data Resoiuces Service while others aimounce workshops and demonstrations of data available through commercial vendors via online information retrieval. Teaching This, in turn, brings us to the second major function of our program. Once we have interested our researchers in the available data, we then proceed to introduce them to iL We let them try it out for themselves so that they will learn how to access data without the intervention of an intermedian . Since enduser searching is becoming increasingly the norm in the business community, we want our students to feel confident that they can access the information the\ need long after they've completed their degrees. In addition to the more or less formal training obtained through our seminars, we also offer point-of-use assistance through Access Guides (brochures we prepare to guide endusers) and one-on-one help in the person of trained professional consultations to assist each researcher in the selection of the most appropriate data sources available both at Baruch and elsewhere. Availability Fiiully, to ftilfill the third part of our perceived mission, we bring the data to them in as user-friendly a format as possible. This has, imtil recently, meant that we provide the students with after-training access to the Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service (which is available to us on a prepaid monthly basis as an educational institution) and Prosearch (which provides user-friendly access to both the Dialog and BRS information services). For budgetary reasons, the latter must be monitored closely and hmiled to research for theses, dissertations, and articles for publication. More recently, the advent of CD Rom technology has allowed us to make several of these same data sources available to a much larger audience since they, too, are prepaid. Although our facility is still small we are able, through CD Roms, to make the Disclosure database (including Spectrum Ownership) and Standard and Poor's Corporations available to our students and faculty along with such bibliographic databases in CD Rom format as PsvcLit ABl/INFORM. and ERIC. Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service One of the most pressing needs for data we have at the GBRC is for company financial information. Our students are constantly on the lookout for income statements, balance sheets, key ratios and the like. One of the easiest ways to make this data available to them is through the Dow Jones News Retrieval Ser,'ice . We have ananged to prepay for the service and have configured our PCs to automatically dial up, connect, and enter a password through Smartcom. Through Dow Jones News , our students have access to Disclosure (including extracts from over 10,000 publicly held Summer 1988 40 - iassist quarterly company's 10-K repon and other SEC filings see figure #4), Media General (detailed corporate financial information on approximately 4,300 companies and 170 industries). Standard and Poor's (which provides brief profiles of over 4,500 companies including earnings, dividend and market for the current and past four years). Historical Quotes (including daily volimie, high, low and close for stock quotes and composites). Historical Averages , and Current Quotes, among others. Our students make particularly good use of Dow Jones News' "Quicksearch" feature. By simply entering "//quick" and a company's ticker symbol, they can immediately key into a wealth of financial information drawing from multiple Dow Jones News/Retrieval files (see figure #5). Data includes current quotes, latest news stories, a financial and market overview, earnings estimates, company profiles, and investment research reports, (see figtire #6). The students may print their Dow Jones News/Retrieval results and/or save the information to a diskette for future use. Prosearch Among the business, economic and demographic databases most in demand at the GBRC are the PTS family of databases (Forecasts. Times Series , and Annual Reports Abstracts as well as the bibliographic database PROMT - excellent for market share information, and MARS - useful for targeting advertising audiences). In addition, students and faculty make great use of Donnelly Demographics and Cendata for additional demographic information (see figure #7). In order to use Prosearch . the researcher merely highlights the desired category and subject by using the up and down keys and the return key. By the way, all of this is done while offiine, so no charges are accumulating for typing time. Once the researcher has selected a subject, he or she selects a database from the "catalog cards" screen (see figure #8) and enters the search request on a grid designed to enter fields with the mere touch of a key. The researcher uses Boolean connectors in the usual way and. when the request is complete, cormects automatically to Dialog or BRS by simply hitting the F5 key. Although we often send our students to the Library to use the PTS print sources, their ability to use Boolean logic easily through Prosearch greatly enhances their chances of finding the exact statistical or demographic table they need. Ehalog and BRS databases are also available at the GBRC. To make searching available for our endusers, we provide Prosearch software. The software is very user-friendly. We do, however, require both students and faculty to attend a short training seminar before beginning to use it. We also provide some back-up support in the form of trained graduate student assistants who also monitor usage (this costs money per connect hour, per record downloaded or printed, etc.). Within a very short period of time most graduate students (and even most faculty) become proficient at accessing the databases with minimal assistance. Graphic Presentations We have also begun to make software available for OUT students to analyse and present the data they've found. Although we do not teach the use of Lotus 1-2-3 and other statistical packages, we do have a copy available for knowledgeable students to use. We also provide access to a plotter, laser printers, and a scanner which our students use to create graphic represnetations of their findings (see figure #9). Summer 1988 iassist quarterly — 41 CD Roms Al present, the GBRC provides access to both Standard and Poor's Corporations and Disclosure in addition to bibliographic databases in CD Rom formaL Once again, having this prepaid data allows us to make it available to a much wider audience. Instead of being limited to online searching for thesis, dissertation, or publication purposes, all our constituents may access this tjusiness and financial data at any time. We hope in the near future to enhance our capabilities through the acquisition of a new CD Rom product, Lotus One Source which contains both the data our students need and Lotus 1-2-3 on a single laser disk. Another anticipated acquisition is Batelle's America 2000 software package which will enable the students to make economic projections based on extensive data included in the package. In sum, there is quite a bit of data in the fields of business and economics which can be made available to the novice user who does not require raw data or anything very sophisticated in the way of data manipulation. The way to get this data to the user is threefold: publicity, teaching, and availability. Through our publications, training sessions, and consultations, we at the Graduate Business Resource Center try to give our students access to the data they need and, more importantly, the skills to continue to meet their own requirements for information.n Summer 1988 42 - [assist quarterly Illustration 1 BARUCH cor.LF.Gn LIBRARY G R B C GRADUATE BUSINRSS RESOURCE C E N T E i? News Alert October 13, 1988 Telephone: 725-7114 Editor; Roha Oitrow GBRC Announces Fall Programs, Services and Hours Welcome 10 the (alM988 lomeilefl Tlie Graduale Business Resource Center plans a leiles of woik shops ii. Saturday 2:00 p in. • G;UU p in The GBftC is not open when llie College Is closed On days when there are no cIassl-s, but the ColletjB is open, the GlUtC will close fit <1:UU p.m. The L!!/P'i'iiI'iJiJJ.abyviliijgl^t_5(e5ejL!, bg QlK'ii On Salurdjys. CD ROM Demonstrations The newest Innovation in information technology Is the database In cornpact optical disk format (CD ROMs). Now, without professional assistance, any lesearcher may access both biblio- yraphlc and infcrmational databases Iraa ol charge. Currently available CD flOfVl databases at the GQRC Include Conipacf Discloiute. Piycin. ABIINfORM. IRIC. and Standardi Poor'i Corpo'iatlons. Professor Ida Lowe will demonstrate how CD ftoms can benefit research in a series of progran^s to be giverS at the GBnC, Room 1224, 360 Park Avenua South. The procl^a^^s are op^ n to all Baruch figilTv and graduate tTuJeiUt. OaieisnJ Tfinei Gsneritl Introduction to CD ftOM Daiabatet Thursday, October 20, 1988 12:30 p.m. -1:30 p.m. Dinlness liiforniation on CD ROM: ABI-lnforn\ andPiycLit Thursday, Novembers, 1988 12:30 p.m.- l:3sV m. Social Sciences Information on CD ROM: Eric and PiycLIT Thursday, November 17, 1988 12:30p.m.- 1:30 p m. Coiporale DIreclories on CD HO\f: Disclosui» and Standard & Poor's Thursday, December 1, 1988 12.30p.m.- l;30p.m. (ove,) Summer 1988 iassist quarterly - 43 Illustration 2 BARUCH COriEGR LIBRARY G R B C GRADUAL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER News Alert March 26. 1986 Telephone: 725-3301 Editors: T. Atkins R. Ostrow 1985 GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEYS The 198S Central Socl|il Survcyi (CSS) are hare. Produced by the Universicy of Chlcago'i National Opinjon Research Center (NORC), the Ccnoral Social Surveys provide a cross-sectional sample oT the United Slates adult population. The' data has been col- lected almost every yeai" since 1972 (no sur- vey was done in 1979 or 1981). The surveys are based on a 300 question In- terview which idoniiries respondents' at- titudes and opinions oij such issues as ilia family, social mobility, social coutrol, race rclalloni, sexual mores, and nallaaal morale. This high quality data (s used for research and instruction In tnahy fields including sociology, markeling, psychology, and con- sumer behavior. In |l982 the National Opinion Research Center oversampled the black population, thus providing an excel- lent dnia set for studying this minority group. This data set Is now available in machine- readable formal on computer tape at the CUNY/UCC. It is a cuitiulative data file, with each annual turv|e/ contained in a separate subfile. Merging all 12 yearly files greatly simplifies the use of the General So- cial Surveys for trend analysis of specific questions. Subsets of the data may be created for research or instructional purposes. The subsets may be used on the mainframe, either on tape or on disk, or duwnIoadi;d for use with microcomputers. Special data modules may be prepared for liudeni exercises and classroom work using these files. In order tQ access the data, you will need the following Information I'or Tap* CDA 11$; File I Is the raw dalafile; file 2 Is i (ct of SPSS control cards; file 3 contains the SPSS contiol cards for the first half of the data; file A is the SPSS coMrol cards for the second half of the data; and file S Is a file of SPSSX control cards f^ir the data. CONTENTS OF TAPE VOLUME - C0AII5 //FILE NUMBER DSNAME RECFM LRECL BLOCK EST. BLKSIEE COUNT FEET 1 ICPSftOSS«'<33.A FB 10 32000 M 317.1 2 ICPSR C$S!433 B F8 10 ]i:o J. ICfSR.GSSJOS.C FB 10 3i;o 4. 1CP5R.0SSJO5.0 FB SO 3120 ). ICPSR.GS2I.I15 E FB 10 SI20 Summer 1988 44 - iassist quarterly niustration 3 ID O en o < OQ z -—38,447 8.5»—-IIL = 6.6%- — -CB 8.8% 6-13 BC . -49,814 11.0%^--BM- 10.7%- — -CC 10.9% 14 - 17 BD =— 30,175 6.7»-^-BIJ- 5.7%—-CD 5.3% 18 - 2« BE = —61,143 13.51—-BP= 12.0%- — -CE 10. 3% 25 - H BF =— 64,774 14. 3«-—-B0= 16.8%- — -CF 17. 3% 35 - 44 BC =— 37,347 8.2«-^-BR = 9.6%- — -CC 12.5% 45 - 54 BH =-42,939 9.5«-^-B5= 8.4%- — -CH 7.9% 55 - 64 BJ — 46,526 10.7«— - -BT = 10. 1%- — -CJ= 9.0% 65 + BK = -79,920 --*249,293 17. 6i— 100. OS -BU= 18.1%- 241,490-" -CK 18.1% FEMALE POPULATION BY AGE 230,645 0-5 19,065 7.6» 7.6% 7.8% 6-13 24,568 9.94 9.7% 9.9% 14 - 17 15,078 6.01 5.2% 4.9% 18 - 24 32, 362 13. Ot 11.2% 9.4% 25 - 34 33,704 13.5% 16.0% 16.5% 35 - 44 20,385 6.2% 9.4% 12.0% 45 - 54 24,043 9.6% 8.5% 8.0% 55 - 64 $8,068 11 . 3% 10.6% 9.5% 65 » E . 52,020 —^203,792 20.9% 100.0% 21.7% 196,706 . 22.0% MALE POPULATION BY AG "TTTriTi^0-5 19,382 9.5% 9.7% 9.8% 6-13 25,246 12.4% 12.0% 12.2% 14 - 17 15,097 7.4% 6.4% 5.9% 18 - 24 28,781 14.1% 13.1% 11 .3% 25 - 34 31,070 15.2% 17.7% 18.2% 35 - 44 16,962 8.3% 9.6% 13.0% 45 - 54 18,896 9. 3% 6.3% 7.8% 55 - 64 20,458 10.0% 9.4% 8,3% 65 * 27,900 13.7% 13.7% 13.4% Median Age Total Popu lat on 31.6 32.4 33.5 Median Age Adult Popu lat on 45.9 44.0 42.9 TOTAL POPULATION 453,085 100.0% 440,196 423,019 White DA.—— 242,576 53.5% -Di:. 52.2%- DJ= 49.7% Black DL . —— 206,386 45.6%—-[* = 46.8%- DK- 49. 2» Othet DC= — -4,123 .9%- — -DC 1.0%- — DL = 1.1% HOUSEHOLD INCOME S - S 7,499 1 A = 59 999 31 6%- t J: 26 4%- E5 = 19. S 7,500 - S 9,999 CB = -18 776 10 5%- FK. 8 6%— ET = 6. $10,000 - 514,999 tC = -30 501 17 1%- tL. 15 4%- EU= 12. $15,000 - $24,999 tD= -40 516 22 7%- tM = 26 6% EV = 27. $25,000 - $34,999 tL= -18 080 10 1%- 1 M- 14 4%- EW= 20. 535,000 - $49,999 f F= -7 382 4 1%- K' = 6 0%- EX = 10. $50,000 - S75.000 1 574,999 rC = -2 I H= 316 873 1 5«^ 1 li: 1 9%- EY = 7%- LZ = 1. 1 . Summer 1988 iassisl quarterly - 49 Illustration 8 figure *8: Prosearch selection screens. The Database Selection Screen After you select the high-levd interface, the Dacabasc Selection screen appears: Cat*<7ari«« |>6usinasa CAqin««rlng 4 Sei Sub'^scrs Acqulaltions/X«rf Adv«rxl«lnq XsaoclacXona Accounting: KAJtVAAO BUSIMtSS REVTSW Accounting: KXSVXilO BOSINESS aXVIEW AceouACiag: AlI/IxrORN IS L Accounting: Aai/UfFowt ntro abatracts Covara all ptiaaaa oC bualnaaa and >anaga»«nt. SCraaaaa ganaral InforBatlon appllcaela to many bualnaaaaa and Lndustrlaa. Including eoapany caaa hlatorlaa, coapatltlva intalllqanca, naw product davalopaant, and daelalon aaking. Covara ov«r too primary pu&llcatlona. 1971- : Monthly updacaa. 229.000 racorda. SI.lT/mlnuta $.20/oefllna print S.30/onXina display Summer 1988 50 - iassisl quarterly Illustration 9 CO E (0 c oo Q c .2 o d) 00 J—" o Da o \-^ GL CO CO Q) D o "S- ^̂ "^- ^s kWWW^ R^3^^^;^3^r^ kWWWW 5̂ kWWWW- KWWWWW^̂ KWWWWWW-X IWWWWWWŴ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\v \\\\\\\\\\\\\N^^^?^^^ ^S^^^^^^^K N H H .- - r- .- e^\o\i9r\b'>jj ^15 f P, U K ,35. s »> y •« ^ w ^ .-I -H