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FirstSearch glossary

Find a comprehensive listing of FirstSearch terms accompanied by definitions.

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A

ANDOVER

A code that identifies those index records from the Andover Review (Boston, Mass) from vol. 1, no: 1 (Jan 1884) through vol. 19, no. 114 (Nov./Dec. 1893). Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code index. See also ATLAS; ESSCOL; IBRR; MRI; RDB; RIP.

Animation

See Film technique.

ATLAS

A code which identifies those index records that are part of the ATLA Serials product, an online full-text collection of major religion and theology journals. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code index. See also ANDOVER; ESSCOL; IBRR; MRI; RDB; RIP.

Audience

Either Adult or Juvenile; based on MARC Field 008, byte 22: Target audience.

Author affiliation

Institution an author is affiliated with, as indicated on a title page or following an author name.

Author phrase

The exact name of the person(s) or group credited with creating a library resource.

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C

Chemical substance

A five-to-nine-digit number that identifies a chemical substance or an enzyme The number is followed by the name of the substance in parentheses.

Corporate author

All or part of the name of a corporate group responsible for creating a library resource.

Corporate author phrase

The exact name of a corporate group responsible for creating a library resource.

Corporate name phrase

The exact name of a corporation affiliated in some way with a library resource.

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D

Descriptor phrase

The exact term that describes the theme or topic of the content of a library resource.

Diorama

A three-dimensional scene in which figures or other objects are arranged in a naturalistic setting against a painted backdrop.

Domain

All or part of an Internet name, address or element that identifies a computer and the organization that transmits or receives electronic data.

Domain phrase

An exact Internet name, address or element that identifies a computer and the organization that transmits or receives electronic data.

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E

ESSCOL

A code which identifies the subset of records describing multi-author essay collections and the individual essays within the multi-author work. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code index. See also ANDOVER; ATLAS; IBRR; MRI; RDB; RIP.

Extended author phrase

The exact author name or names or information about an affiliation or institution.

Extended title

All or part of a title including subtitle, alternate title, or other information that describes the library resource.

Extended title phrase

The exact terms used in a title, including subtitle, alternate title, or other information that describes the library resource.

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F

Family name

A name after a given name; a last name or surname.

Film technique

The technique used to create motion for motion pictures or video recordings. Can include animation and partial animation techniques.

Full text ISSN list

A list of International Standard Serial Numbers that identify and communicate basic information about the content of library resources for which full text is available.

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G

Genre/form phrase

Terms that describe the contents of a library resource within a given form such as art, drama, music, poetry; or sculpture, one-act play, symphony, haiku.

Geographic classification codes phrase

Geographic codes, usually alphanumeric terms, that classify library resources by place.

Geographic coverage phrase

(1) Major geographic subject headings that classify library resources by place. (2) Geographic subject headings and subheadings that classify library resources by place.

Geographic name phrase

The exact place name used to classify or identify the library resource.

Given name

A name before a family name; a first name or forename.

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I

IBRR

Index to Book Reviews in Religion. A code which identifies the ATLA workflow for book reviews and the corresponding book described within the reviews. Records with this code have been created or included within the IBRR workflow. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code and record stream indexes and ATLAS record stream indexes. See also ANDOVER; ATLAS; ESSCOL; IMAGE; MRI; RDB; RIO; RIP; RIT.

Identifier phrase

A significant term, number, acronym, name, or symbol used alone or with other identifiers to refer to a library resource.

IMAGE

A code which identifies the ATLA workflow for full-text images that correspond to the item described within an ATLA Religion Database bibliographic citation. This code may be used in conjunction with the ATLAS product code to identify citations that correspond to available full-text images within ATLAS. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion record stream index. See also IBRR; RIO; RIT.

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J

Journal announcement

Time-bound news or information in a journal or periodical inviting participation in an event, submission of articles, or queries for more information.

Journal class

A group of journals classified by one subject or collected by one person or organization.

Journal sort

Sorting the results of a search by journals according to subject or collection.

Journal subject

Terms that identify the theme or concept behind the information contained in a journal.

Journal subject phrase

Specific terms that identify the theme or concept behind the information contained in a journal.

Juvenile audience

Indicates the appropriate age for the audience of the particular work.

See FirstSearch online help on Audience type for a listing of valid juvenile audience types.

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L

Limit a search

A technique to make your search more precise. Limiting eliminates from the results whole classes of records so that your search results are more understandable.

Literary text

Indicates the type of a spoken word recording based on its content.

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M

Molecular sequence

Data consisting of accession numbers assigned by databanks for molecular sequences deposited by researchers. Currently, 11 databanks register molecular sequences. Often, an article references the databank accession number rather than a graphic representation of the sequence itself. These numbers are displayed in the format: databank/number. For example, GENBANK/M96979.

MRI

Methodist Reviews Index. A code which identifies articles and book reviews from five periodicals related to Methodism: Methodist Review, Methodist Quarterly Review, United Brethren Review, Religion in Life, and Quarterly Review. Indexing span 1818-1985. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code index. See also ANDOVER; ATLAS; ESSCOL; IBRR; RDB; RIP.

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N

Named company phrase

The exact name of a company mentioned in a library resource. Browse this FirstSearch index for exact names.

Named conference phrase

The exact name of a conference mentioned in a library resource.

Named corporation phrase

The exact name of a corporation mentioned in a library resource. Browse this FirstSearch index for exact names.

Named person phrase

The exact name of a person mentioned in a library resource. Browse this FirstSearch index for exact names.

Named review phrase

Search terms that find information about a review of another library resource.

Natl Ag Lib call number

Identification number used to find a library resource from the National Agriculture Library.

Natl Lib of Canada call number

Identification number used to find a library resource from the National Library of Canada.

NLM

Identification number used to retrieve a library resource from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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O

OCLC usage statistics

Reports available on the OCLC Web site on your library's use of OCLC services, including FirstSearch, Resource Sharing, and online cataloging using Connexion. Open from within the client (View > OCLC Usage Statistics).

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P

Plurals (+)

To search for plurals, add a plus sign (+) to the singular form. The plus sign (+) will search for any plural formed with either -s or -es. For the plural of words that change form, such as mouse or story, search for both forms and combine them with the Boolean operator OR.

Proximity (w or n)

To find terms within a certain distance of other terms, use the proximity operators w or n followed by a number.

publisher

Publisher

The person or company responsible for placing a book or other resource on the market. A publisher and printer may be the same person or company, although in modern publishing this is not usually the case.

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R

RDB

A code that identifies all records contained in the ATLA Religion Database, an index to journal articles, book reviews and collections of essays in all fields of religion. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code index. See also ANDOVER; ATLAS; ESSCOL; IBRR; MRI; RIP.

Reference

Information referring to a document or information source.

Resource type

See Record type.

RIO

Religion Index One: Periodicals. A code which identifies the ATLA workflow for serials and journal articles. Records with this code have been created or included within the RIO workflow. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion and ATLAS record stream indexes. See also IBRR; IMAGE; RIT.

RIP

Retrospective Indexing Project. A code which identifies those index records from 133+ periodical titles that pre-date the beginning of Religion Index One (RIO ). The periodical coverage extends backwards for decades and, in some instances, even a century or more. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion product code index. See also ANDOVER; ATLAS; ESSCOL; IBRR; MRI; RDB.

RIT

Religion Index Two: Multi-Author Works. A code which identifies the ATLA workflow for multi-author works and the individual essays within a multi-author work. Records with this code have been created or included within the RIT workflow. Used as a valid value in the ATLA Religion record stream index. See also IBRR; IMAGE; RIO.

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S

Searching

The process of retrieving records from a database.

SIC code

The Standard Industrial Code is an alphanumeric identifier that classifies businesses by type. For example, 078200 is the SIC code for Lawn & Garden Services.

Subject phrase

Exact terms that describe the topic that is the main focus of the content of a library resource.

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T

Text

The type matter on a page or in an electronic document that is distinct from illustrations or graphics.

Title phrase

The exact term(s) used to name a library resource such as a book, article, transcript, video, recording, song, score, or software. Tip: Use the exact terms that appear in the title. For example, type THX-1138 to search for the videotape with this title.

Title phrase index list

A display of titles resulting from a title phrase search.