Writing abstracts for online databases: results of an investigation of database producers’ guidelines

Abstract

The article reports on one area of research in an eLib MODELS supporting study which had three investigative areas: an examination of current database producers’ guidelines for their abstract writers, a brief survey of abstracts in some traditional online databases, and a detailed survey of abstracts from three types of electronic database (print‐sourced online databases, Internet subject trees or directories, and Internet gateways). The examination of database producers’ guidelines, reported here, gave a clear view of the intentions behind professionally produced traditional (printed index based) database abstracts and provided a benchmark against which to judge the conclusions of the larger investigations into abstract style, readability and content. The article concludes with a summary of recommendations for abstract writers.

Citation

Armstrong, C.J. and Wheatley, A. (1998), "Writing abstracts for online databases: results of an investigation of database producers’ guidelines", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 359-371. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006905