Numbers | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Numbers

404 Error

Commonly occurs in Web searching if a file can no longer be located or if the URL is typed incorrectly. A common error is due to case sensitivity. Upper and lowercase letters must be typed exactly as shown.

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A

abstract (n.)

A summary of important points, for example of an article or book; often appended to a citation.

abstract (v.)

To summarize or compile salient points from an article or book.

academic journal

See scholarly journal.

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B

bibliographic record

Entry in online catalog consisting of several fields of information describing a library resource, including author, title, publisher, date, and call number.

bibliography

      List of sources used to prepare your research paper. Also, a list of works cited by an author at the end of an article, paper, book, or other research-based writing. There are also specialized subject bibliographies published separately.

 

browser

Software program that supports point and click access to the World Wide Web and the Internet. Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer are currently the most widely used.

byte

A unit of digital data consisting of 8 bits and equivalent to a letter of the alphabet, a numeral, or another character. See also GB (gigabyte); KB (kilobyte); MB (megabyte).

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C

 

CD-ROM (compact disc-read-only memory)

A 3 1/2" disk storing 650 MB of information. Same general format as a standard audio compact disk (CD) but designed for data. See also DVD-ROM.

citation

A brief reference to an article, book, or other material; usually includes author, title, source, place and date of publication.

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D

DVD-ROM (digital video disk-read-only memory)

A 4½" disk storing several gigabytes of information. See also CD-ROM.

database

A usually large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval as by a computer.

default

A selection automatically used by a computer program in the absence of a choice made by the user.

drop down list

See pull-down list.

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F

field(s)

A subdivision of a record. Fields include author, title, subject, etc.

Footnote
      A bibliographic note placed at the bottom of a page to let the reader know the source of the information or quotation; A footnote is used to direct a reader elsewhere for additional information.

full-text electronic database

Database containing the entire content of an item, usually also including an abstract and citation; often indicated by a symbol, such as a book icon, the words "full-text," or by file type, such as ".txt" or ".pdf."

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G

GB (gigabyte)

A billion bytes or a thousand megabytes. Multi-gigabyte hard drives are now common.

glossary

an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge.

government document (or government publication)

Information produced by or for an international, national, state, county, city, or other governmental entity in any of a variety of formats, including book, pamphlet, periodical, map, microform, audiovisual, CD-ROM, or Internet.

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H

 

hit

Successful "match" in a specific computer database search or using a search engine on the World Wide Web. Example: searching the online catalog for "arachnid" yields 14 hits.

Hold (on hold)

A function in the Online Catalog, which enables you to request that an item, currently checked out, be kept for you at the Circulation Desk rather than being reshelved upon its return to the library. You will be notified when the item is available. A message will not be sent to the current borrower, but that person will not be able to renew the item.

holding(s)

In a database, a word or button used to indicate local availability of materials, such as journal or magazine issues, book titles, or electronic databases.

http (hypertext transfer protocol)

The World Wide Web delivery mechanism used to find and retrieve a particular web page. Example: http://www.UW-Eau Claire.edu retrieves the UW-Eau Claire campus homepage.

hyperlink, hypertext, hypermedia link

See link.

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I

icon

On the World Wide Web, an  image, often linked, representing concepts, programs, or actions to select. Example: a light bulb or question mark icon might be linked to online help.

index (n.)

A tool for finding citations, abstracts, or complete text; arranged usually in alphabetical order of some specified datum (author, subject, or keyword).

index (v.)

To furnish, through an organized list, the important contents of a work; to point out; to enter in an index

Internet

A global electronic network of thousands of communicating computers in smaller interconnected networks. See also World Wide Web; browser.

Internet Explorer

An Internet browser created by Microsoft. See also browser.

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J

journal

Generally a more "scholarly" periodical than a magazine. Examples: Nature, Environmental Geology, American Journal of Health Behavior. See also peer-reviewed journal; professional journal; scholarly (academic) journal; trade journal.

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K

keyword

Descriptive word or phrase found in a record in an electronic database that aids in retrieval of documents. In full-text searching, every word in a document becomes a keyword. A thesaurus is often constructed to list acceptable keywords.

KB (kilobyte)

Approximately one thousand bytes or characters. Text or graphic file size is usually expressed in kilobytes.

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L

link

An electronic link connecting two pieces of electronic information, which may be text, graphics, video, or sound. The World Wide Web is based on a system of interactive hyperlinks.

login/logon

Connecting to a computer network.

logoff/logout

Disconnecting from a computer network.

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M

MB (megabyte)

A million bytes or characters. Computer random-access memory (RAM) and space requirements for software programs are generally expressed in megabytes.

microfiche (or "fiche")

System of photographically miniaturizing printed material on small rectangular "sheets" of photographic film viewable on special readers.

microfilm

Miniaturizing process similar to microfiche, but reproduced on reels of photographic cellulose film. As with fiche, requires special reader.

monograph

A scholarly book, pamphlet, or article on a specified and usually limited subject. Sometimes used in the sense of a scholarly nonfiction book as opposed to an article in a periodical.

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N

Netscape

Internet browser created by Netscape Communications Corp. See also browser.

network

 

An arrangement of computors and files that are electronically connected.

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O

offline

Not connected to a printer, computer network, etc.

online

Connected to a computer network, printer, etc. In general, it means information available in machine-readable format via a computer.

OPAC (online public access catalog)

Computerized library catalog accessed via terminals or workstations. Has replaced the card catalog in university and larger public libraries. Also referred to as "online catalog."

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P

Patron (patron information)

Library users are often referred to as patrons. Patron information is the contents of your library account: what you have checked out, any fines you owe, materials on which you placed a HOLD or RECALL, and materials you have requested through UB. You can check this information by logging in when you are in the library catalog.

PC (personal computer)

Generally used to refer to IBM-compatibles rather than Macintoshes, though both are really PCs.

PDF (Portable Document File)

A universal file format that preserves all of the fonts, formatting, colors, pagination, and graphics of the source document. PDF files retain their original formatting  and look like photographs of the original documents). You MUST have the Adobe Acrobat® Reader software (free) installed on your computer to view or download a PDF file.

peer-reviewed journal

Journal containing scholarly articles which have been reviewed by scholars whose expertise and stature are similar to the author's (Harrod's Librarians' Glossary).

periodical

Publication issued at regular (and relatively frequent) intervals with no specific ending date. Examples: magazines, journals, newspapers, newsletters. See also serial.

PIN (Personal Identification Number)

Your PIN is the 4-digit number issued by the registrar's office. You use it, along with your email name, when logging on to computors around campus -- including computors in the library.

Plagiarism
      Using others' ideas or words without giving them credit, or using them to infer that they are your own.

popular press

Publications reflecting the taste and interests of the general public.

primary source

Original manuscript, contemporary record, or document used by an author in writing a book or other literary work. Includes letters, diaries, memoirs, contemporary newspaper reporting, archival collections, personal papers, speeches, novels, public documents (legislative bills, court records, census records, vital records, etc.), laboratory studies, field research reports, and eyewitness accounts (adapted from The Research Paper by Audrey J. Roth). See also secondary source.

Private ID

This is an 8-digit number used when logging into the library catalog to check your patron information, to request an item through Universal Borrowing, or to place a HOLD or RECALL on an item that is checked out.

professional journal

Journal published by a professional organization. Examples: the Journal of the American Medical Association, American Archivist (Journal of the Society of American Archivists), and Journal of the American Chemical Society.

pull-down list

A list of options that appears when you click a down arrow.

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R

RECALL

A function in the Online Catalog, which enables you to request an item, currently checked out, be returned to the library. An automatic message is sent to the current borrower, informing them that someone else needs the book. You will be notified when the item is avialable.

record

A description of a resource such as a book, journal article, website, etc. Records are subdivided into specific fields, such as author, title, and subject.

Reference

Anything that points to some other location for the information it represents. In the library, the Reference Department is a place and a collection. You find out where information (e.g., books or journals) can be found in the library or online. Staff in this area are experts in research methods and can help in a variety of ways.

Reserve

This is a section of the library where course-associated materials which classroom instrutors require or recommend. The collection includes books, articles, videotapes, CDs, software, audiotapes, etc. Reserve items circulate for shorter periods of time to allow access to all who need them.

robot

Software utility program that roams the Internet to compile a database of sites to be searched by a search engine; also called a spider.

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S

scholarly (academic) journal

Journal containing articles with full documentation, identifying sources used and written by scholars whose credentials are identified. Example: Social Science and Medicine.

scroll

Move up or down a page on a computer screen a little at a time using arrow keys, scroll bar, or  mouse.

search engine

Software program that searches a database of Internet sites compiled by a robot or, as in the case of a directory, individually selected. Search engines search keywords in titles, URLs, headers, summaries, or even the full-text of Internet documents. Examples: Alta Vista, Excite, Lycos.

secondary source

Source one step removed from the original; often an evaluation of, commentary on, or summary of primary sources, or a critical study. Examples: critical reviews, biographies, journal articles, historical studies, and second-person reports (adapted from The Research Paper by Audrey J. Roth). 

serial

Publication issued at regular intervals or in installments. Includes periodicals as well as bulletins, annual reports, and multi-volume works issued in parts. See also periodical.

server

A computor that provides a service to other computors in a network by sharing its resources, such as programs and/or files, with other computors.

stacks

Ranges of shelves containing library materials.

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T

terminal

A device, usually equipped with a keyboard and video display, through which data or information can enter or leave a computer system (adapted from The American Heritage College Dictionary).

trade journal

Periodical restricted to the interests of a trade or industry which may include news items; articles; descriptions of goods, products, and manufactured articles; lists of new publications; statistical data; etc. Also called a trade paper (adapted from Harrod's Librarians' Glossary). Example: Manufacturing Chemist and Aerosol News.

truncate (v.), truncation (n.)

In database searching, the act of entering and searching for a shortened word, a word stem, or a string of letters, often indicated by adding a symbol (e.g., ? *).

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U

UB (see Universal Borrowing)

Universial Borrowing

A function in the Online Catalog, which enables you to request an item from another UW library. You place the request through the online catalog and materials are delivered to the Circulation desk. UB is quicker than Interlibrary Loan and is particularly handy when a UW-Eau Claire copy of a book is checked out.

URL (uniform resource locator)

The Internet "address" for an electronic document identifying location and mode of access. URLs may begin with http://, gopher://, ftp://, or telnet://. See also http.

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V

virtual library

Also known as the "electronic library" or "library without walls," usually taken to mean electronic information resources available within the library or remotely accessible but, which do not have a physical presence. In contrast with the traditional or print-based library.

virtual reality (VR)

Electronic environment created by computer software that simulates a three-dimensional physical setting. Often used in computer games and entertainment but also in engineering and architecture.

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W

World Wide Web (or Web, WWW, W3)

Portion of the Internet consisting of interconnected, linked documents (web pages) accessible via web browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape). Displays images and sound as well as text. See also browser.

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