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Library Resources for International Students

A guide to the Library for our international Stevens students.

Common Library & Research Terms

TERM

DEFINITION

Abstract

 An abstract is a short summary of the contents of a document, such as a journal article, that appears prior to the full-text of the item.

Anthology

 An anthology is a type of book that consists of essays, stories or poems by different writers.

Bibliography

 A bibliography is a list of books and other written materials, such as journal article, that were referred to in another book or article. There are different types of bibliographies, such as analytical and annotated, which focus on one particular subject and provide a short summary below the citation.

Boolean Operator

 A Boolean operator is a connecting word or symbol that can be used in an online search engine or database to include or exclude terms. The most common Boolean operators are AND, NOT and OR.

Call Number

A call number is a combination of letters and numbers assigned to a library item that are used to locate the item on the shelf. For example: FC104 .S288 2010. To find the item, first look at the letters (FC) then the number (104) followed by the additional combination of letters and numbers at the end (S288).

Like many other academic libraries, the Samuel C. Williams Library's collection is arranged according to the Library of Congress classification system.

Catalog

 A catalog is a list of the books in a library, usually arranged according to subject, title or author. Our Library catalog is an electronic listing of all the print and ebooks available through the Library. It allows you to view what is available, check the location of items and place holds on items.

Circulation Desk

 The circulation desk is the service desk in the Library where students, faculty and staff use their IDs to access the building; borrow, renew and return library items; get the keys to study rooms; borrow laptops; and pick up holds.

Citation

"A citation is the formal acknowledgment of intellectual debt to previously published research. It generally contains sufficient bibliographic information to uniquely identify the cited document." (Source: Web of Science)

Database

 A database is a searchable electronic collection of information about published items such as journal articles, books and newspapers. Searching a database will retrieve citations, which usually include the information about the item such as the author, title and date of publication. Citations will also include an abstract and/or full-text access to the content of the item in HTML format or as a link to a PDF document.

Dissertation

 A doctoral program will culminate in the submission of a dissertation. Unlike a masters thesis, a doctoral dissertation must contribute something completely new to your area of academic study and be based on original research.

DOI

Digital Object Identifier

 A DOI is a combination of letters and numbers assigned to a publication that is found online, such as a journal article in a database. For example: 10.1037/a0028240. It provides a permanent way of locating the publication that does not rely on the URL (website address).

Hold

 If a book is checked out, a user can place a hold on the item. After the item is returned, the Library will keep the item at the circulation desk for you to pick it up.

Index

“A list (as of bibliographical information or citations to a body of literature) arranged usually in alphabetical order of some specified datum (such as author, subject, or keyword).” (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

 ILL is the practice of lending books and documents, such as journal articles, between libraries on behalf of users.

Journal

 A journal is a type of publication that is issued periodically at different points in a year (monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually) and contain various types of articles (book reviews, literature reviews, reports, editorials, opinion pieces, and peer-reviewed research articles). Scholarly journals are aimed at scholars and researchers within a particular discipline or subject area and contain specialized article based in in-depth research conducted by academics, scholars and specialists.

Keyword

 A keyword is a word used to search an electronic resource, such as a library database or the Internet, in order to locate results that match that word in a specified or any part of the item, such as the title or in the full-text.

Peer Review

 Peer review is the process by which scholars critically evaluate each other's work. When an article is submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, an independent panel of experts read and comment on the article. If it is approved by the majority of reviewers, the article is accepted for publication.

Plagiarism

 In academic contexts, plagiarism is a type of intellectual property theft involving the use of someone else's ideas without properly crediting the original source through citation. It is a serious offense that can result in a failing grade on an assignment or in a course.

Primary Source

 A primary source is a type of research material that has firsthand or original data on a topic and was created during the time period or at a later date by a participant in the events being studied, as in the case of a memoir or diary. Examples include research studies, personal letters, historical photographs, interviews, and newspaper articles.

Reference Desk

The reference desk is a public service counter where professional librarians provide library users with direction to library materials, advice on library collections and services, and expertise on multiple kinds of information from multiple sources.

In the Samuel C. Williams Library, our reference desk is called the Research Desk.

Renew

 To renew a book is to extend the due date for an additional loan period. This can be done online through your Library account.

Secondary Source

 A secondary source is a type of research material is describing, summarizing, analyzing, evaluating, derived from, and/or based on primary source materials. Examples include textbooks, essays, biographies, and journal articles.

Thesis

 In the United States, a thesis is the culminating project required for a masters degree. It reflects your knowledge as it relates to your academic program. For a masters thesis you are expected to use the research of others and provide your own analysis of your discoveries.

Trade and Popular Publications

 Trade and popular publications, such as magazines or newspapers, are types of resources that provide specialized news and information for members of a specific profession and industry or for the general public. Unlike scholarly journals, trade and popular publications do not include peer-reviewed research-based articles.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator

 A URL is an internet address comprised of a protocol type (i.e. http) and a domain name (i.e. .com) as well as letters and/or numbers that indicate the location of the page.

Adapted from Bow Valley Community College 

Stevens Glossary & Reference Information

A handy list of terms used here at Stevens about classes and other administration (taken from New Undergraduate Transfer Students but useful for everyone):

TERM

DEFINITION

Course Listing

MA = Math (course subject) 121 = course number Differential Calculus = course title

Includes the course subject, course number and course title (ex. MA 121 - Differential Calculus) 

Units 

Semester hours for the course and potential number of credits to be earned for course

Grading Basis 

Method by which the course will be graded

Graded = student is taking this course for a grade

Blank = grade will be entered on the graded portion of this course

Section

Specific class information for your course. Many courses offer several sections each semester. (Example: In MA 121-E, your course section would be E.)

Please note that some courses may include multiple formats, such as workshops, lectures and recitations. 

Instructional Format 

Refers to the type of instruction for the course

Lecture = delivered in person or online by a professor

Recitation = review material in a small group

Workshop = themes and concepts or the development of a skill

Laboratory = provides students hands on experience

Independent Study/Internship = meeting days/times determined by instructor

Delivery Mode 

Refers to the way that the course meets

In-Person, Online or Hybrid (mix of in-person and online)

Meeting Pattern 

Days and times that the course takes place 

Registration Status 

Status of enrollment 

Registered = enrolled in course

Instructor

Name of course instructor

Start Date/End Date 

Semester start and end information

Other Useful Info