How to... (tips)
Read Call Numbers
Identify and Locate OSU Dissertations and Theses
Decode Citations
Read Call Numbers
OSUL uses the Library of Congress classification system which organizes books and journals by subject. Library holdings are shelved by call number. Each call number is unique; combined with a library location code, call numbers serve as addresses. Call numbers generally incorporate the subject classification, a code for the author, and year of publication. The example below shows how the location and call number appear in an OSCAR record and on the spine of a book.
OSCAR record:
Book spine:
SEL
TJ211.3
H67
1986Science & Engineering Library bookstacks (4th floor)
TJ = mechanical engineering; 211 = robots; .3 = robot vision
(read as H.67) relates to the author's last name
year of publication
Note : read the second line of a call number as if the number after the letter were a decimal. The call numbers below are arranged in correct order; review them to help understand shelving order.
Identify and Locate Dissertations and Theses
See Searching for Dissertations & Theses for how to find theses and dissertations and OSU and across the world.
Decode Citations
Citations usually abbreviate journal and conference titles but the full title is needed for searching OSCAR and OhioLINK. Words like on, of, for make a difference when they occur within a title. You can make an educated guess at the title and substitute of, on, for at appropriate places (ex. International Journal of ...). The following resources may help determine the full title:
WWW Links:Common Citation Abbreviations (lists abbreviations & the words for which they are commonly used) ex: Rev. may stand for Review, or Revue, or Revista... (Adapted for SEL)
All that JAS (Journal Abbreviation Sources) lists WWW sites that can be used to search an abbreviation and find the full title; a good general site is CISTI OnLine Catalog Title Search ; see also discipline specific sites.
Print Resources:Z5521 A3 1907-1999 - Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (in carrousel on SEL's reference desk)
Z6945 A2P47 - Periodical Title Abbreviations; by abbreviation, 10th ed., 1996 (also in carrousel)
Last updated: 14 May 2008
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