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Research skills

Glossary

A selected list of terms and abbreviations commonly encountered in research.

1. Abr. Abridged; abridgment

2. added entry The heading above the author line on a catalogue card. The card is filed by this entry.

3. annotation A brief description of the content of a book.

4. anon. Anonymous (author unknown)

5. appendix A section that follows the text, containing material relative to but not essential to the subject.

6. bibliography A list of books or other sources. May be general, selective, on a particular subject, or have a common theme, often annotated.

7. bk., bks. book(s)

8. c. or ca. circa, about. Refers to an approximate date (e.g., c. 1340)

9. call number The classification number used to request a book.

10. CD-ROM Compact Disc Read-Only Memory. A small disc used to hold text, graphics, video, and sound for catalogues and reference works.

11. cf. Confer; compare one source with another

12. ch., chap., chaps. Chapter(s)

13. class number The number by which a book is identified in a classification system (e.g., the Dewey Decimal Classification System or the Library of Congress Classification System). It indicates the subject matter of the book.

14. col., cols. Column(s)

15. continuation A work (e.g., The World Almanac) issued at regular intervals.

16. copr.; © Copyright The copyright notice usually consists of the symbol © (with or without the word copyright) and the year in which the book was copyrighted. May apply to the entire work or only a part. It generally appears on the verso (back side) of the title page.

17. cross-reference A reference to another entry. A see reference is to the preferred entry, the one under which the material appears; a see also reference is to related material.

18. cumulate The contents of several volumes arranged into one volume.

19. database Information stored in a computer.

20. DVD A compact disc that can hold between 8 and 20 times as much information as a CD-ROM.

21. documentation Support for a statement, as in a footnote or bibliography.

22. e.g. exempli gratia, for example

23. ed., eds. Editor(s); edition(s)

24. ellipsis Three spaced periods used to indicate an omission. At the beginning of a sentence, may or may not be followed by a capital letter; at the end of a sentence, is preceded by a period.

25. et al. et alii, and others

26. et seq. et sequens, and following

27. etc. et cetera, and so forth.

28. f., ff. And the following (e.g., pp. 65 f.; pp. 64 ff.)

29. fig., figs. Figure(s)

30. front. Frontispiece (picture facing the title page of a book or of a section of a book)

31. hot link In an electronic document, a text or illustrative link that, when activated, leads to another document.

32. hypertext In an electronic document, highlighted text that, when activated, leads to another document.

33. i.e. id est, that is

34. ibid. ibidem, the same. In a footnote, refers to the book cited in immediately preceding reference. Ibid. takes the place of the author's name, the title, and any identical material in the preceding footnote. The page number may differ.

35. id. idem, the same. Used in place of the author's name in additional references within a single footnote.

36. il., illus. Illustrations, illustrator, illustrated

37. infra See below; to be mentioned later.

38. Internet A global computer network which links smaller networks, including government facilities, universities, corporations, and individuals.

39. l., ll Line(s)

40. LC Library of Congress

41. loc. cit. loco citato, in the place cited. In a footnote, refers to a passage already identified when there are intervening references to other sources.

42. main entry The catalog card that has full information about a book (the author card).

43. modem Modulator-Demodulator. A device that adapts a terminal or computer to a telephone line, allowing users to communicate with one another.

44. MS., MSS. Manuscript(s)

45. n., nn. Note(s)

46. N.B. Nota bene, note well; take notice

47. n.d. No date of publication or copyright given.

48. network An information system that links several pieces of computer equipment and computer databases together for sharing information among many users and stations.

49. no., nos. Number(s)

50. op. cit. opere citato, in the work cited. In a footnote, refers to a previously identified work when a different part is cited and there are intervening references. Pages are included in the citation.

51. p., pp. Page(s)

52. paraphrase A restatement conveying the general meaning of the original.

53. pass. passim, here and there; throughout the work (e.g., pp. 60, 81, et pass.)

54. periodical Primarily a magazine, published at regular or irregular intervals.

55. printing date The year the book is printed (usually appears on the title page). Not always the same as the copyright date.

56. pseud. Pseudonym, a name other than an author's real name; a pen name.

57. pub. Published, publication

58. q.v. quod vide, which see

59. recto Right-hand page of a book; the back of a verso page

60. rev. Revised, revision

61. scope extent of treatment, coverage

62. series title The collective title for a group of books.

63. sic So, thus, in this way. Used within brackets in a quotation to show that an error is in the original: "It was to [sic] late."

64. sup., supp., suppl. Supplement

65. supra See above; previously mentioned

66. thesis The statement of purpose, the proposition to be explained or proved

67. tr., trans. Translator, translation

68. v., vol., vols. Volume(s)

69. v. vide, see

70. verso Left-hand page of a book; the back of a recto page

71. viz. videlicet, namely. Introduces examples or lists.

72. vs. Versus, against

73. Web site A site location on the World Wide Web. Each Web site contains a home page, and may also contain additional documents and files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company, or organization.

74. World Wide Web A system of Internet servers that support specially formatted documents, which can be easily accessed using a Web browser. Not all Internet servers are part of the World Wide Web.

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