INFS 321

Information Sources

Session 10 – Indexes & Abstracts

Lecturer: Prof. Perpetua S. Dadzie, DIS

Contact Information: pdadzie@ug.edu.gh

College of Education
School of Continuing and Distance Education
2014/2015 – 2016/2017
 Session Overview
At the end of the session, the student will be able to :
• Indicate what indexes and abstracts are
• State usefulness of indexes and abstracts
• State criteria for the evaluation of Indexes and
Abstracts

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 2

 Session Outline
The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows:
• Topic One : Definitions and uses of Indexes
• Topic Two: Definitions and uses of abstracts
• Topic Three: Searching Indexes and Abstracts
• Topic Four: Selection and evaluation of indexes and
abstracts

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 3

 Reading List

• Katz, A. William (2002) Introduction to Reference,

Work Vols. I & II, 8th ed.

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 4

 Topic One

INDEXES AND ABSTRACTS

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 5

 Definitions

• systematic listings of works that tell

where information can be located
• Systematic guide to the text of any
reading matter or to the contents of
other collected documentary material,
comprising a series of entries, with
headings arranged in alphabetical or
other chosen order and with reference
to show where each item indexed is
located.
Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 6
 Definitions 2
• A detailed alphabetical list of names, terms,
topics, places, formulae, numbers or other
significant items in a completed work with
exact page references to material discussed
in that work

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 7

 Uses of Indexes

• To find articles in periodicals and newspapers.

Dissect what is inside periodical or newspaper
so that user has access to individual articles
• Employed to research topics of current
interest. Enable user to find easily material on
a specific subject or specific article.
• Help develop one’s understanding of a
contemporary debate – variety of materials
found on controversial topic from different
points of view
 Uses of Indexes 2

• reveal more fully contents of library’s collection

(library’s catalog does not provide access to
entire contents; catalog may confirm the
holdings of a periodical title but not its
contents)
• To research a subject not yet written about in
books
• Allow quick access to contents of books
 Types of Indexes

• Indexes to indexes
• Indexes to collections
• Periodical indexes
• News indexes
• Pamphlet indexes
• Book indexes
 Periodical Index

• list authors, titles, or subjects of publications

without comment
• Periodical and News indexes index publications
known as serials
• serial - “a publication issued in successive
parts, usually at regular intervals and as a rule,
intended to be continued indefinitely
 Periodical Index 2

Periodicals
• a type of serial- "publication with its own
distinctive title, containing a mix of articles ...
by more than one contributor, issued ... at
regular stated intervals of less than a year,
without prior decision as to when the final
issue will appear
• includes magazines and journals
• excludes proceedings
 Important Periodical Index

Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory

• guide to more than 164,000 periodicals and
since 1993, newspapers
• Has separate indexes providing access to title,
ISSN, online and CD-ROM availability, online
vendors, title changes and refereed serials
 Topic Two

ABSTRACTS

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 14

 Definitions
• concise and accurate summary of the essential
contents of document
• Condensation that presents succinctly,
objectives, scope and findings of document.
• Terse presentation of all points made in
original piece of primary documentary
information
• Summary of a document with adequate
bibliographic details provided to enable
retrieval
 Definitions 2

• Information usually conveyed together with an

indexing system to further identify document
content
• presents skeletal representation of the original
document thereby serving as a true surrogate
of the document
• As true surrogate, user might not need to see
the original document.
 Uses of Abstracts
• serves as substitute for the document, thereby saving
valuable time for the user
• used for current awareness service or in retrospective
search
• used to overcome the language barrier, as many
documents in foreign languages usually have abstracts
of their documents in English language;
• helps user to determine whether there is need to
translate original document or not
• large number of papers published every year,
abstracts facilitate selection of papers that user can
read
 Types of Abstracts

• Informative abstract - captures all essential

points in the original document
• presents actual data and information
contained in original document, giving enough
details to have sufficient knowledge of original
document
• Contains scope, purpose methodology,
findings, conclusions and recommendations
• tend to be between 200 and 500 words.
 Types of Abstracts 2

• Indicative abstracts - provide an indication of the

original document
• sometimes called descriptive abstract
• indicates type of document being abstracted,
principal areas covered and the way facts are
treated
• applies generally to non-research papers
• hardly provides actual content.
• cannot be used in place of the original document
• tells user what can be found in the document
rather than the actual data and information.
 Topic Three

SEARCHING INDEXES AND ABSTRACTS

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 20

 Searching Indexes & Abstracts
• These are done through Subject Headings.
• Subject headings are controlled vocabulary used by
Indexer.
• Important to match search subject concept to term
used by indexer.
• If indexer uses term ‘dwelling’ the user will find
nothing if a search is made for ‘home’ unless cross-
references under the listing ‘home’ which states ‘see
Dwelling’
 Searching Indexes & Abstracts 2

Two basic lists of subject headings consulted by reference

librarians
• Library of Congress Subject Headings- lists the
standard LC subject heading in alphabetical order
• Sears List of Subject Headings – rough equivalent of
the LC subject headings for smaller libraries. Fewer
subject heading
• Thesaurus- Similar to subject heading list -list of terms
used for indexing and for searching. Shows
relationships between terms.
 Topic Four

SELECTION AND EVALUATION OF

INDEXES AND ABSTRACTS

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 23

 Selection process

• Expensive reference tools- cost

• characteristics of collection
• needs of users for access beyond what is already
provided by library’s catalog.
 Evaluation
Format: indexes and abstracts now exist in machine-
readable form, CD-ROM; more powerful search
capabilities with more access points; possibility of
refining searches through using Boolean logic
Scope - time period covered may not necessarily
coincide with the period of publication; Frequency of
publication affects currency; time lag in indexing ;
Types of materials covered eg. substantive articles,
letters to the editor and editorials
 Evaluation 2

• Authority: reputation of publisher or sponsoring

organization and qualifications of the editorial staff
• Accuracy: Quality of indexing determined by depth
and accuracy; authors associated with indexed item
included in the author index? subject indexing -
indexer’s ability to represent content of publication
using terminology drawn from controlled vocabulary
 Evaluation 3
• Arrangement: alphabetical arrangement; abstracts -
classified arrangement; printed sources access points
limited to subject, author and title, in machine-
readable form- offer many additional options for
searching.
• Special features -list of periodicals or other sources
indexed and a published list of subject heading.
 Activity
Visit any academic library of your choice and examine
• Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory
 References
Katz, A. William (2002) Introduction to Reference Work
Vols. I chapter 5