Indexing and abstracting service
An abstracting service is a service that provides abstracts of publications, often on a subject or group of related subjects, usually on a subscription basis. An indexing service is a service that assign descriptors and other kinds of access points to documents. The word indexing service is today mostly used about computer programs (see indexing service), but may also cover services providing back-of-the-book indexes, journal indexes and related kinds of indexes (see index (publishing). An indexing and abstracting service is a service, that provides shortening or summarizing of documents and assigning of descriptors for referencing documents.
The product is often an abstract journal or a bibliographic index, which may be a subject bibliography or a bibliographic database.
See also
- Bibliographic index (metabibliography)
- Bibliography
- Citation index
- Guide to information sources
- Indexing Service (Index server)
- List of academic databases and search engines
References
Lancaster, F. W. (1991/1998/2003). Indexing and abstracting in theory and practice. London: Library Association. (1st ed. 1991; 2nd ed. 1998; 3rd. ed. 2003).