Writing abstracts for online databases: results of an investigation of database producers’ guidelines
- 1 December 1998
- journal article
- Published by Emerald in Program: electronic library and information systems
- Vol. 32 (4), 359-371
- https://doi.org/10.1108/eum0000000006905
Abstract
The article reports on one area of research in an eLib MODELS supporting study which had three investigative areas: an examination of current database producers’ guidelines for their abstract writers, a brief survey of abstracts in some traditional online databases, and a detailed survey of abstracts from three types of electronic database (print‐sourced online databases, Internet subject trees or directories, and Internet gateways). The examination of database producers’ guidelines, reported here, gave a clear view of the intentions behind professionally produced traditional (printed index based) database abstracts and provided a benchmark against which to judge the conclusions of the larger investigations into abstract style, readability and content. The article concludes with a summary of recommendations for abstract writers.Keywords
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