Reviews contributions by scholars and institutions in the fields of classification, subject headings, thesauri, indexing, abstracting, and automatic classification and indexing. Also included are works exploring the theoretical foundations of subject analysis and the history of indexing and abstracting. There are 111 references. (RAA)

Provision of abstracts-in-source for all articles in library and information science journals is proposed. Standards for the bibliographical format of abstracts should be compiled by the American National Standards Institute. Keywords for indexing-in-source of abstracts should be taken from a thesaurus of library and information science to be…

The results of a study of the indexing provided by the "Bibliography of Agriculture" and 15 related secondary services are described. The data elements used with printed citations and the indexing features of each service are described and compared. A methodology was developed to compare the terms provided by the Bibliography and each…

Discusses the use of thesauri in automatic indexing and describes the development of a prototype computerized abstractor's assistant. Topics addressed include TEXNET, a text network management system; the use of TEXNET for abstracting; the structure and use of a thesaurus for abstracting in TEXNET; and weighted terms. (Contains 26 references.)…

This study surveyed abstracting policies and guidelines used by producers of bibliographic databases that aim to enhance free-text retrieval. Results indicate editors consider content of abstracts and their language as primary factors in retrieval enhancement. Most recommend that concepts and form be coordinated with controlled vocabulary…

Eight documents of representative types and three journal articles are included in this self-instructional training workbook for abstractor/indexers. Introductory materials provide an overview of informative and indicative abstracting styles and the principles of indexing utilized by the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). Detailed…

This chapter describes how ERIC addresses the problems resulting from four conditions that make it unique in the indexing field: (1) its subject area includes a wide range of subspecialists; (2) its clientele is extremely diverse; (3) it has a dual retrieval purpose--for both manual and computer access; and (4) its retrieval is challenged by the…

The objective of this project was to build a non-interfering indexing system, in which the social scientist users, who have varying conceptual orientations toward their field, would not be restricted in their literature searching by a single conceptual orientation imposed on the system by information scientists. With the cooperation of subject…

The Simple Index Method overcomes the difficulties in building a core list for serials in interdisciplinary fields by using multiple indexes which cover various aspects of the subject. Collection-development librarians can develop a core list when standard bibliographies or specific indexing and abstracting tools are lacking and can tailor that…

Evaluates the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database. Summarizes ERIC's history and organization, and discusses criticisms concerning access, currency, and database content. Reviews role of component clearinghouses, indexing practices, thesaurus structure, international coverage, and comparative studies. Finds ERIC a valuable…

The vice president of a computerized information center discusses her career history, the development of information services and the database industry, current information technologies and the role of artificial intelligence, characteristics of indexers and abstractors employed, the kind of training needed by abstractors and indexers, and…

This set of papers offers insights into some of the major developments in the field of classification and knowledge organization, and highlights many of the fundamental changes in views and theories which have taken place during the last 40 years. This document begins with a series of reminiscences from former delegates of the first International…