Indexing and abstracting service
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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, 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
- Bibliography
- Citation index
- Guide to information sources
- 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).