 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Abstract
A summary of an article. An abstract often appears at the beginning of a scholarly or technical article. Databases and indexes often contain abstracts that can help you decide whether an article is relevant for your purposes. Examples include Chemical Abstracts and Psychological Abstracts.
Annotated bibliography
A list of sources giving information about each and adding a short description of the item. In some bibliographies the annotation merely describes the content and scope of the item listed; in others the annotation also evaluates its quality.
Anthology
A collection of writings compiled into a book.
Asynchronous communication
Communication in which sending, reading, and responding to messages is not simultaneous. E-mail is a form of asynchronous communication; chat is synchronous.
Attachment
A file sent along with an e-mail message. If the attached file is encoded, transmitted, and decoded properly, the receiver of the e-mail can open the file in its original format. Attachments are sometimes unusable because of differences in hardware or software configurations between a sender and a receiver. They are also used as a means of transmitting computer viruses; network administrators typically advise users to open attachments only if they know the sender and expect an attachment and if the message to which it is attached seems legitimate.
Up to Directory
Bibliography
(1) A list of sources, usually appearing at the end of a research paper, an article, a book, or a chapter in a book that documents evidence used in the work and points out sources that might be useful for further research. Each entry provides enough information about each source so that a reader can track it down. (2) A list of recommended readings on a given topic, usually sorted into subcategories.
Bookmark
(1) A function in a Web browser that allows users to mark frequently visited Web sites for easy accessibility. When a site is bookmarked, the site's URL is added to a list that the user can return to later. (2) A tag used in a Web page that links directly to a part of the Web page.
Boolean operators
The words and, or, and not used in databases or search engines to relate the contents of two or more sets of data in different ways. When sets are combined with and, the resulting set contains only those items that are found in all the sets. When or is used, the resulting set includes all items from all sets. Not is used to exclude items in one set from the combination of sets.
Up to Directory
Call number
The letter and number combination that indicates where a book is kept on a library's shelves. Call numbers are assigned using a system that locates books on the same subject next to each other for easy browsing. Most academic libraries use the Library of Congress (LC) system; public libraries typically use the Dewey decimal system.
Catalog
A database containing information about the materials owned by a library and their location. Most catalogs are now computerized, though a library may have all or part of its catalog on cards. Catalogs can usually be searched by author, title, subject heading, or keyword and provide a basic description of the item (book, journal title, video, or other) and a call number.
Chat
A type of synchronous communication across the Internet in which people communicate with others in real time by typing messages that are posted for all members of the chat to see.
Citation
A reference to a book, article, Web page, or other source that provides enough information to allow a reader to retrieve the source. Citations in a paper must be given in a standard format (such as MLA, APA, Chicago, CBE, or another citation and documentation style).
Citation trail
A process used by researchers to track down additional sources on a topic. The tracing of citations to reference works is sometimes referred to as following the path of a "citation trail" or "citation network."
Cite
(1) As a verb, to provide a reference to a source. (2) As a noun, a shortened form of citation. (Note: This term is frequently misused when referring to Web sites.)
Controlled vocabulary
Descriptive words added to the items in a database that make it easier for researchers to find works on a particular topic. When compilers of a database decide on which words to use in these descriptions (called descriptors or subject headings), they control the vocabulary users of the database will use. Researchers will retrieve more items searching with controlled vocabulary than they will using synonyms. See also descriptors and subject heading.
Corporate author
An organization, an agency, an institution, or a corporation identified as an author of a work. Corporate authors are listed as authors in a citation.
Up to Directory
Database
A collection of data organized for retrieval. In libraries, databases usually contain references to sources retrievable by a variety of means. Databases may contain bibliographic citations, descriptive abstracts, full-text documents, or a combination.
Descriptors
Terms assigned by indexers of a database to describe the subject content of a document. For example, the PsycLit database uses academic achievement as a descriptor to help researchers locate texts on the subject of scholastic achievement or grade-point average. Descriptors are chosen so that all of the work on that topic can be found with a single word or phrase, even though there may be many different ways of expressing the same idea.
Discipline
An academic field of study such as history, psychology, or biology. Often books and articles published by members of a discipline intended for other scholars are called the literature of the discipline—referring not to literary expression but to research publications in the field.
Discussion list
An e-mail-based asynchronous conversation among members of a group with a shared interest. E-mail messages are posted to all members of a group using software protocols such as Listserv or Majordomo. Participants have the opportunity to hold a wide-ranging discussion on a common topic with hundreds of others. See also asynchronous communication.
Domain
The portion of a URL that indicates the type of Internet server for a Web site or the country where it is located. Common domains are .edu (higher education), .gov (U.S. federal government), and .com (commercial). Recently created domains include .name and .info. Country domains are two-letter abbreviations such as .uk for United Kingdom and .fr for France.
Up to Directory
Fair use
A limited set of exemptions to copyright law. Copyright law protects authors and other owners of intellectual property so their expression of ideas cannot be copied by others without payment. Some exemptions to these protections are allowed under law for limited reproduction of texts for educational purposes.
Field
A particular area, as in a record in a database, in which the same type of information is regularly recorded. A field in an article database may contain the titles of articles, for example, while another field may contain the names of journals the articles are in. Some search engines allow a user to limit a search to one or more specific fields.
FirstSearch
A subscription service that provides access to a number of databases through a common interface. Many academic libraries subscribe to the service, though each chooses which databases it will allow users to search. Access is usually provided through the library's Web page.
Full texts
Complete documents from databases and Web sites. (Note: Illustrations or diagrams may be omitted from a full-text document.) Some databases run searches through full-text documents; others search only the citation or abstract. In some cases researchers can set their own preferences.
Up to Directory
Hits
The list of results called up by a search of a database or the Internet. (Note: Hits also refers to the number of times a Web site has been visited. Webmasters track hits as a measure of the popularity of a site.)
Holdings
The exact items a library owns. The term is most typically used to refer to the specific issues of a magazine or journal in a library. This information is often listed in a library's catalog as a holdings statement.
Up to Directory
Index
(1) In a book, the alphabetical listing of topics and the pages on which information on them can be found. The index is located at the back of the book. (2) A publication that lists articles or other publications by topic. (3) An alphabetical listing of elements that can be found in a database.
Intellectual property
The expression of ideas defined by federal and international law as property. Though ideas themselves cannot be owned, the manner in which a particular author, film director, or other creator expresses ideas belongs to him or her and is protected by copyright law from unauthorized reproduction. Materials in the public domain are freely available. Those that are not in the public domain have stringent restrictions (called fair use) on how much of a work and under what circumstances copies can be made without payment to the owner. See also fair use and public domain.
IP address
A unique numeric identification for every network or computer connected to the Internet. Each IP address consists of four sets of numbers separated by dots. IP addresses for servers hosting Web sites are paired with an alpha-numeric address that users can type into a browser to retrieve the sites.
IP recognition
The method by which a subscription service (such as a database) recognizes its subscribers (such as a college library or an individual licensed and authorized to use the database). Many subscription databases, such as FirstSearch, identify legitimate users by matching their IP address to a list of subscribing institutions. To access services using IP recognition, users generally must be connected to the Internet through the subscribing institution.
ISP (Internet service provider)
A company or organization that provides a connection to the Internet for a group of subscribers. Universities provide Internet services for their communities; AOL and Earthlink are examples of commercial ISPs.
Up to Directory
Journal
A publication containing articles that is issued at regular intervals. Journals are usually written for more specialized or scholarly audiences than magazines.
Up to Directory
Keyword
A word used to search a library database or the Internet. Keyword searches locate results by matching the search word to an item in the database or at the Internet site. For example, a search term using the keyword third world will find items with that exact term but may not include related items that use the term developing countries. Keyword searches often search very broadly through many database fields. However, researchers who perform a keyword search using terms that are different from those used in the database will not retrieve all of the information in the database related to their topic. See also controlled vocabulary.
Up to Directory
Library catalog
See catalog.
Licensed database
See subscription database.
LISTSERV
See discussion list.
Literature review
A descriptive survey of research on a particular topic. Often articles include a literature review section to place their research in the context of other work in the field and to call readers' attention to related work. See also review article.
Up to Directory
Magazine
A publication containing articles that is issued at regular intervals. Magazines are generally written for general and popular audiences, are sold on newsstands or by subscription, and earn a part of their revenue through advertising.
Meta-search engine
A search engine that sends a request for information to several search engines and compiles the results.
Microforms
Formats that reduce texts and reproduce them on plastic film that can be read on a special machine. Microfilm puts pages of text on a continuous strip of film; microfiche puts the pages on flat sheets of film.
MOO (multi-user domain, object-oriented)
A synchronous communication program that allows participants to interact while moving around a virtual space and manipulating virtual objects. MOOs are typically used for educational conferencing and are an extension of MUD systems.
MUD (multi-user dimension)
A synchronous communication program that creates a virtual place where people can take on fictitious identities and communicate with others, usually in a game atmosphere—the basis of MOOs.
Up to Directory
Newsgroup
An online forum that allows the public to post and read messages on a particular topic.
Up to Directory
Online catalog
See catalog.
OPAC (online public access catalog)
See catalog.
Up to Directory
Peer review
A process during which a group of experts examine a document before it is published to determine whether it is worthy of publication. A peer review process—usually arranged so that the reviewers don't know who the author is—helps provide quality filters for journals and other publications. See also refereed publication.
Periodical
A regularly published magazine, journal, newspaper, or newsletter.
Periodical index
An index to articles in magazines, journals, newspapers, and newsletters. Many periodical indexes are available as electronic databases, though many electronic versions are limited to articles published in the last ten or twenty years. Print indexes often include all years of a periodical's publication.
Plagiarism
The unattributed use of a source of information that is not considered common knowledge. Three acts are considered plagiarism: (1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and (3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words.
Plug-in
A small program that can be downloaded to give a browser additional capabilities, such as the ability to play audio files or display special graphics formats.
Primary source
An original source, such as a speech, diary, novel, legislative bill, laboratory study, field research report, or eyewitness account. While not necessarily more reliable than a secondary source, a primary source has the advantage of being closely related to the information it conveys and as such is often considered essential for research, particularly in history.
Professional journal
A journal addressed to a particular professional audience such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, or accountants.
Public domain
The status of works that are freely available and not governed by copyright restrictions. Most government documents are in the public domain, as are works for which copyright has expired. Many classic works of literature and primary sources available in full text on the Internet are in the public domain and thus can be copied without restriction. However, many (if not most) of the texts and other works in print and on the Internet are protected by copyright law; users must request permission of the copyright holder to reproduce such works. See also fair use and intellectual property.
Up to Directory
Record
Each item included in a database. Records contain the information about the books, articles, or other sources that users can search for in a database.
Refereed publication
A publication for which every submission is screened through a peer review process. Refereed publications are considered authoritative because disinterested experts have reviewed the material in advance of publication to determine its quality.
Reference
(1) A source used in research and referred to by a researcher. (2) In libraries, a part of the library's collection that includes encyclopedias, handbooks, directories, and other publications that are useful in research for finding overviews of information and facts. (Note: Reference may also indicate a desk or counter where librarians provide assistance to researchers.)
Review article
An article that evaluates the published research on a topic. The purpose of a review article is to select the most important publications on the topic, sort them into categories, and comment on them so that a researcher can gain a quick overview of the state of the art in that area.
Up to Directory
Scholarly journal
A journal that is primarily addressed to scholars, often focusing on a particular discipline. Scholarly journals tend to be refereed publications and for some purposes may be considered more authoritative than magazines. Scholarly journals tend to have articles that are substantial in length, use specialized language, contain footnotes or endnotes, and are written by researchers (whose academic credentials are often provided) rather than by journalists. See also refereed publications.
Search engine
A program that allows users to search for material on the Web or at a specific Web site. Sometimes the search function of a database is called its search engine.
Secondary source
A source that comments on or relies on primary sources. An article in a newspaper that reports on a scientific discovery or a book that analyzes a writer's work is a secondary source.
Serial
A term used in libraries to encompass all publications that appear in a series: magazines, journals, newspapers, and books that are published in a regular series such as annual reviews.
Server
A host computer that is linked to other computers over a network. A corporation may have one server through which users have access to the Internet, e-mail, data files, databases, and software. A computer that hosts Web sites is also called a server.
Subject heading
A descriptive word or phrase assigned to an item in a database using controlled vocabulary. Most academic library catalogs use The Library of Congress Subject Headings to describe the subjects of books in the catalog. Other databases create their own list, or thesaurus, of accepted descriptive terms. In some databases subject headings are called descriptors. Researchers can benefit by examining subject headings as they search a catalog or database. Subject headings provide content information that can help the researcher evaluate whether a book or article is worth further examination. Subject headings also suggest alternative terms or phrases to use in a search.
Subscription database
A database that can be accessed or licensed only through a subscription. Libraries provide a wealth of information freely to their patrons, but most of the electronic materials they provide are paid for by the library through a subscription. Often the material provided in a subscription database is more selective and quality controlled than sources that are freely available on the Web. Because databases are often provided through a license agreement, these databases are sometimes referred to as licensed databases.
Synchronous communication
Communication in which messages are sent, received, and responded to simultaneously. Online chat is a form of synchronous communication.
Up to Directory
Thesaurus
A list of subject headings or descriptors that are used in a particular catalog or database to describe the subject matter of each item. A thesaurus is useful to researchers because it identifies which term among a variety of available synonyms has been used by the database compilers to describe a subject. Some databases provide a searchable thesaurus that helps researchers choose the most effective search terms before they start searching.
Thread
A list of postings in electronic communications that deal with a common topic. A thread is usually used in the context of newsgroups and discussion lists and often contains a common or slowly evolving subject line.
Truncation
In online research, a shortened version of a search term. In some search engines and databases, the root of a word plus a wild card symbol (such as an asterisk or a question mark) can be used to search all possible variations of the root. For example, the search term psycholog* will find instances of the terms psychology, psychologist, and psychological.
Up to Directory
URL (uniform resource locator)
A Web address, such as
Wild card
A symbol used to substitute any letter or combination of letters in a search word or phrase. A wild card symbol may replace a single letter (as in wom*n, to search for women or woman in one search) or any number of letters (as in psycholog*, to search for psychology, psychologist, and psychological). Though an asterisk is frequently used as a wild card symbol, some databases use other symbols such as a question mark or an exclamation point. See also truncation.
Up to Directory
