Indexing and Abstracting in Theory and Practice

This third edition of what has become a classic among textbooks in schools of library and information science (and related programs) has been thoroughly updated to reflect the evolving technological advancements in the field. Focusing on indexing of the subject matter of material, the beginning chapters review the literature and discuss various principles and practices such as “exhaustivity or depth of indexing,” “specificity,” “checktags,” “pre- and post-coordinate indexes,” and “consistency and quality of indexing.” Discussions on abstracting cover such concepts as the different types of abstracts, purpose of an abstract, structured versus narrative abstracts, informative versus indicative abstracts, subject slanting, modular abstracts, and writing and evaluating an abstract.

Various styles of indexing used in printed publications such as Index Medicus, the Engineering Index, and Chemical Abstracts are illustrated in the text; although the author is quick to note that printed tools are used much less today in favor of their online counterparts. In the online world, indexing has even greater importance in the effort to retrieve relevant data efficiently. Related concepts such as weighted indexing, linking of terms, and relational indicators are discussed as aids to precision. The idiosyncrasies of indexing special formats such as images and sounds and the Internet, as well as the use of computer-generated or automated indexing and abstracting, are also reviewed. The author admits that the Web has become so large and complex that it is beyond the scope of any single book to explain all of its components. He suggests the use of Web-based services such as The Extreme Web Searcher's Internet Handbook News and Updates <http://extremesearcher.com/news.html> or Search Engine Watch <http://searchenginewatch.com> to keep current with new developments.

Lancaster quotes several authors who see indexing of the Web becoming more impossible with time, but, at the same time, see that the need for automatic abstracts or summarizations continuing to grow in importance. With automation, the need for human intervention at the local level, be it Website design or local resources management, will also increase.

Part 2 of the work includes chapters with practice exercises, a summary of abstracting principles, sample subject modules, and an extensive list of references. The index has grown by over a hundred pages since the award-winning first edition in 1991, which won the Best Information Science Book Award in 1992 from the American Society for Information Science.

The work is primarily a teaching textbook that gives a good overview of the historic theory and principles behind indexing and abstracting and then discusses various applications, practices, and issues related to content analysis. Adequate representation of the material being described is the core challenge with indexing and abstracting. Another work that addresses this core issue is Explorations in Indexing and Abstracting: Pointing, Virtue, and Power by Brian C. O'Connor [1]. O'Connor defines “pointing” as the fundamental definition of indexing; “virtue,” the essence of a work, as equal to abstracting; and the two tools together as giving a person “power” to make meaningful use of the information (p. ix). Another related title, Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting by Donald B. Cleveland and Ana D. Cleveland [2], is more practical than the other two titles in that it provides many examples of what is being discussed and includes a section on “Ninety-nine Web Resources for Indexers and Abstractors,” with leads to useful tools such as indexing services, standards, indexing organizations, and search services. Google <http://www.google.com>, one of the listed search services, is a company working to answer Lancaster's challenge about the daunting task of indexing the Web. Under “Our Philosophy” on the Google Website, cofounder Larry Page states his far-reaching vision: “The perfect search engine would understand exactly what you mean and give back exactly what you want.” Many of the principles discussed in Lancaster's work— precision, specificity, and depth of indexing—are just as applicable and essential in today's online world as companies like Google seek to develop the “perfect search engine.”

Each of the three books discusses the topic of indexing and abstracting with a different emphasis. Lancaster addresses more of the theory and basic principles; O'Connor looks at the topic from a technical viewpoint; while the Clevelands write with a practical slant giving useful examples and suggestions. The three works together provide very comprehensive coverage of the subject. Each would be useful to students in library or information science, those working in indexing and abstracting services, or persons seeking careers in the information and computer industries.