The microcomputer in historical research: accessing commercial databases

Abstract

The objective of this essay is to describe the uses to which large automated information files may be put by historians who have access to microcomputers. The information files to which I am referring are generally bibliographic files that contain many thousands of citations relevant to the research interests of historians. Some of them exist in both printed and computerized, or "on-line" versions. However, since I want to discuss the use of these files in the context of such criteria as the speed and efficiency with which they can be used, I will discuss only the on-line version of any given file or information service.