Developed to orient the information seeker to the computerized literature search process, this guide provides background information that will help the user facilitate the search interview and the formation of a search topic, enabling him or her to focus on personal search needs and not on the fundamentals of online searching. Major purposes for which researchers have made requests to retrieve online information are described, as are types of search objectives and instances in which a manual search may be effective. To aid the searcher in choosing the proper database, the differences between kinds of databases, their locations, and methods of determining their appropriateness are outlined. It is suggested that the searcher define his research problem by recognizing concepts and using a thesaurus. This guide also explains the principles of Boolean logic, presents a sample search, and considers such details as deciding the format of the output or citations requested from the system, estimating the cost of the search, and judging whether the turnaround time from search to receipt of information is affordable. In addition to samples of typical interview questions and a sample of a search topic form, a listing of indexing and abstracting sources is provided. (FM)