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Research Resources, Milne Library, SUNY College at Oneonta
Definitions (Based upon Carla List’s An Introduction to Information Research)
Internet: Network of computer networks throughout the world
World Wide Web: Hypertext linking of information on the Internet
Access Tool: Reference sources that lead to materials in which the information needed can be found, for example, databases, indexes, and catalogs
Database: Organized collection of information in electronic form, often used to refer to a computerized index (systematic guide to the contents of an information source, particularly periodicals), which often includes the full text of cited items. Libraries subscribe to databases in much the same way that they subscribe to journals, and often limit access to their users. A database is a type of access tool and might be referred to as a subscription or fee-based database in contrast to a free database or a web site
Record: Entry in an access tool that provides the information needed to identify a source
Access Point: Particular way of looking up information in an access tool, for example, author, title, subject
Field: Part of a record used for specific information about the source, for example, author, title, and subject. Fields allow users to find sources of information by using specific access points, such as author, title, or subject, in searching access tools.
Keyword search: Provides results based upon simple match between search term and word(s) appearing anywhere in the record for an information source
Subject search: Provides results based upon a match between the search term and the subject(s)/descriptor(s) assigned to a particular information source
Citation: Entry composed of elements needed to locate a source of information, and sometimes referred to as bibliographic citation
Periodical: Publication that appears on a regular basis, of which newspapers, magazines, and journals are types
Journal: (refereed/peer reviewed): Periodical that contains scholarly information or reports of research. When articles submitted for publication are read by other experts in the field, a journal is labeled as refereed or peer-reviewed
Magazine: Periodical intended for general readership
Search Engine/Subject Directory: Search mechanisms for locating information on the World Wide Web with the former providing results based on computer-matched terms and the latter providing results based upon the human assignment of subject terms to web sites
Style Manual: Guide to formatting citations of external sources in both the text and in the bibliography of a paper