Expanding Access to Science and Technology (UNU, 1994, 462 pages): Session 1: Access to science and technology and the information revolution: Keynote presentation: the impact of information technology on the access to science: Abstract

Expanding Access to Science and Technology (UNU, 1994, 462 pages)

Session 1: Access to science and technology and the information revolution

Keynote presentation: the impact of information technology on the access to science

		(introductory text...)
		Abstract
		1. Introduction
		2. Diversity of information requirements
		3. Numeric and factual databases
		4. Evaluation and quality control
		5. Traditional access mechanisms
		6. Electronic access to scientific data
		7. Data as an international commodity
		8. The future
		References

Abstract

Access to scientific information is crucial to continued scientific advance and to technological progress. After discussion of the diversity of information requirements, this paper takes up mechanisms for the organization of data. The importance and advantages of computer and telecommunications technology in access to scientific data are described, and a brief overview is given of the availability of numerical and factual databases in different areas of science. The paper concludes with a consideration of data as an international commodity and of prospects for future developments.