Question | Answer |
Abstract | a summary of a larger work, such as an article, book, or dissertation, included with citation information in many databases |
Adjacency | a term relating to the searching of an electronic database meaning closeness of two words |
Call number | a unique alphanumeric code assigned to each item in the library |
Circulation | the library department responsible for checking out and reshelving books, maintaining information on books that have been checked out, and tracing lost materials. |
Controlled Vocabulary | a set of official descriptors assigned to a particular entry in a database, illustrating the relationship between synonyms and preferred usage terms. Using controlled vocabulary to search will provide you with more focused results. Examples of controlled |
database | a collection of related electronic records in a standardized format, searchable in a variety of ways, such as title, author, subject, and keyword |
Dissertation | a lengthy, written study of a specialized subject, specifically submitted for a doctorate |
E Indexes and Databases | online tools that index, abstract, or provide electronic access to articles, books, dissertations and other types of content. Many of these databases offer limited full text. |
folios | oversized volumes that have their own shelving areas |
Index | a list of citations to journal articles and/or books arranged by subject, author, or title. |
manuscript | unpublished written documents, such as diaries or letters, or an author's original copy of a work. |
MESH | an acronym for "medical subject headings." This controlled vocabulary system is determined by the National Library of Medicine, and is used for indexing articles, cataloging materials, and searching MESH-indexed databases. |
microforms | documents that are reduced in size and available in either microfiche or microfilm. |
monograph | a scholarly writing, usually of essay or book length on a narrow subject. |
nesting | in boolean searching, a set of search terms arranged sequentially within a larger set; the order in which terms are set may determine the nature of the retrieved results. |
peer review | the process by which articles are chosen to be included in a refereed journal. An editorial board consisting of experts in the same field as the author review the article and decide if it is authoritative enough for publication. |
periodical | a magazine, journal, newsletter, or newspaper produced on a regular basis. This term is sometimes used interchangeably with "serial." |
popular magazines | serials that target general audiences with popular or current news stories. Authors are not usually scholars in a specific discipline and do not conduct original research. These articles are not peer-reviewed. |
Proxy Server | a combination of software and hardware, which acts as an intermediary between a set of users and the Internet, allowing authorized users to access many electronic resources available through the UNC library web pages from home |
record | A collection of related data, arranged in fields and treated as a unit. |
reference | the library department which aids patrons in using the library, helps with research problems, and assists in locating information. |
Scholarly journal | journals that present in-depth, original research in a specific field. These articles have been reviewed by other scholars in the field for scholastic standards and validity. |
tertiary sources | sources that rely on secondary sources rather than primary sources |
thesis | a written paper elaborating on original research, arguing a specific view. |