Instructors and librarians use a lot of terminology that may be new to you. They are also happy to help you better understand research terminology.

This brief glossary of terms will help.

Abstract
An abstract is a brief summary of a book or article. It can help the reader decide if the content is relevant to their research.

Citation
The citation is the identifying information for a specific article or book. Citations may include the title, author, year, volume and issue number, subject terms and other information.

Database
GALILEO resources are stored in and accessed via databases. Databases can offer a wide range of content, or be very specific to a single subject. Content in GALILEO databases are provided by publishers and vendors.

For example, the database Academic Search Complete is a great place to search for magazine and journal articles on many topics. It is provided through a company/vendor called “EBSCO.”

The database Statistical Abstract of the United States specifically provides statistical reports on all aspects of American life. It is provided through a company/vendor called “ProQuest.”

Full Text
Many articles in GALILEO are available in full text. This means that the full article is available to read and use.

Magazine
A magazine is a periodical containing popular articles written for general readers. Magazine articles are usually written by journalists or writers, rather than scholars in a specific field.

Primary Source
An artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information that was created at the time under study. It serves as an original source of information about the topic.

Scholarly Journal or Article (peer-reviewed, referred)
Articles in scholarly journals are written by experts in their field. For example, articles in biology journals are generally written by people with advanced degrees in biology. Articles submitted to scholarly journals are reviewed by peers, a panel of experts with expertise similar to that of the author, before publication.
More library terminology can be found in the Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science.