Abstracts and Abstracting: A Genre and Set of Skills for the Twenty-First Century (Chandos Information Professional Series)

Despite their changing role, abstracts remain useful in the digital world. Highly beneficial to information professionals and researchers who work and publish in different fields, this book summarizes the most important and up-to-date theory of abstracting, as well as giving advice and examples for the practice of writing different kinds of abstracts. The book discusses the length, the functions and basic structure of abstracts, outlining a new approach to informative and indicative abstracts. The abstractors' personality, their linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge and skills are also discussed with special attention.* Despite the relatively large number of textbooks on the topic there is no up-to-date book on abstracting in the English language * In addition to providing a comprehensive coverage of the topic, the proposed book contains novel views - especially on informative and indicative abstracts * The discussion is based on an interdisciplinary approach, blending the methods of library and information science and linguistics Despite their changing role, abstracts remain useful in the digital world. Highly beneficial to information professionals and researchers who work and publish in different fields, this book summarizes the most important and up-to-date theory of abstracting, as well as giving advice and examples for the practice of writing different kinds of abstracts. The book discusses the length, the functions and basic structure of abstracts, outlining a new approach to informative and indicative abstracts. The abstractors' personality, their linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge and skills are also discussed with special attention.Tibor Koltay, PhD, is Professor at the Department of Information and Library Studies of Szent István University, Hungary Content: Front matter , Pages i-iii Copyright , Page iv About the author , Page vii 1 - Introduction , Pages 1-17 2 - Definitions , Pages 19-31 3 - The characteristics of the abstract , Pages 33-70 4 - What does an abstractor have to know? , Pages 71-105 5 - The practice of abstracting: structure, processes and language , Pages 107-141 6 - The practice of abstracting: examples , Pages 143-174 7 - Beyond language and style , Pages 176-199 8 - Conclusion , Pages 199-202 References , Pages 203-223 Index , Pages 225-227