Database - A large collection of data or information that has been organized for rapid retrieval. The University Libraries subscribes to over 400 online databases that support the programs of study offered by the University Libraries. Some databases provide citation information only, while others offer the full-text of articles online.

Descriptor - A word or phrase in a database’s Controlled Vocabulary. Descriptors are assigned to each article in a database based on the content of that article. Experienced searchers know that using descriptors or subject headings is an effective way to search for articles on a topic.

Dissertation – A document written in completion of requirements for a PhD; also called doctoral dissertation. A dissertation is the culmination of years of researching, writing, revising and stress.

Dissertation Abstracts International (DAI) – A database of dissertation citations and abstracts.

Document Delivery – This is a service that delivers electronic copies (PDFs) of journal articles and other documents. When you find articles on the internet you will often have a publisher or document delivery service offer to sell you the article. Instead of purchasing access to the article, Loyola students should use Interlibrary Loan.

DOI Number – DOI stands for Digital Object Identifier. Online academic articles have been assigned an individual DOI number. Just like an ISBN number on books or an ISSN number for journals, the DOI number is unique to that article.

Edition – A version of a published text, or all the instances of a published text issued at a given time. An example would be the 2nd edition (2001).

Entry – Any record, or a field in a record, that has been included, or entered, into a database. An entry word is the headword in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or glossary.

Field - A section of a bibliographic record containing specific information such as the author, title, abstract or descriptors for an item. It is possible to specify which field you want the database to search in for a particular keyword.

Full-Text Database - A database that provides the entire text of an article, usually in PDF or HTML format. Full-text articles can be printed, saved or emailed.

Hold - You can request or place a "hold" on an item that is checked out to another patron or on the shelf. If you are a local student you can pick the book up at the Circulation Desk, for distant students the library will check out and mailed the item to them. See Request.

ILL – Acronym for interlibrary loan.

Index – An index is a book or database that lists citations to journal articles or books. Abstracts and full-text are usually not included.

Information Literacy – Critical thinking skills that enlighten the process of finding, evaluating and using information, including information found on the Internet.

Interlibrary Loan - A service that allows Loyola’s students, faculty and staff to request books and articles that are not in the University Library collection. We are able to borrow books and get copies of articles from other libraries. This service is free for current students, faculty and staff. Request via ILLiad: https://illiad.luc.edu/illiad/IAL/logon.html

Journal - A periodical containing scholarly articles written by researchers in a particular field. Journal articles often include an abstract and a list of references (bibliography).

Keyword Search – A search of a database using some keyword, a significant word from the title, abstract or descriptor of a record as a point of reference to the article's overall content.

Librarian - A professional educated and trained to assist you in finding and using information. The librarians at University Libraries are members of the University faculty.

Literature Review – A systematic and thorough search of all material, print or electronic, published on a given topic. This can include books, journals, newspapers, catalogs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, bibliographies, handbooks, manuals, indexes, yearbooks, gazetteers, directories, chronologies, almanacs, and guides.

Magazine - A periodical such as Time, Newsweek, Forbes, etc. that is published primarily for the public. Magazine articles are not considered appropriate for most scholarly research.

Microform – A microform is a way to store and preserve articles and other documents. The documents are photographed and reduced to fit on a film or card. Special equipment is needed to view, scan, or print articles and other documents stored in one of these formats. There are two microform formats at University Libraries Library:

Microfiche – Microfiche is like microfilm, but the images are on individual sheets of transparent plastic 105 x 148mm (approx. 4”x6”). Each sheet holds up to 98-page images.

Microfilm - Microfilm is a long strip of transparent plastic wound on a reel. One roll of microfilm can hold as many as 800 images of newspaper pages.

Monograph – A boring-sounding library term for a book on a single topic.

Off-Campus Access – See: Remote Access.

Online Catalog or Electronic Catalog – A record of the holdings of an institution (e.g. library or museum) or group of institutions (a consortium), often searchable, that can be found on the Internet.

Open Source- In production and development a philosophy or methodology promoting free redistribution and access to an end product's design and implementation details.

Peer-Reviewed Journal – Also called a “Refereed Journal”, this is a journal where articles must be reviewed by two or more other professionals in the field and prior to being accepted for publication. Most graduate literature reviews require peer-reviewed articles. You can check Cabell's Journalytics (available online through the University Libraries) to find out if a journal is peer-reviewed.

Periodical – A generic term for publications such as journals, magazines or newspapers that are published at regular intervals.

Plagiarism – Plagiarism consists of intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise, written or oral. Compositions, term papers, lab reports, or computer programs acquired in part or in whole from published or internet sources, commercial sources or from other students and submitted as one's own work is plagiarism.

Primary Source – The originator of a primary record. A primary record is a resource created by the individual(s) that initially experienced or used it. They create the records for their own purposes, records that often remain unpublished. Sometimes they witness an event, sometimes they are involved in an event, and sometimes the record is directly created by the event.

Recall - A special request for a book that is already checked out to someone else. That person will be notified to return the book within 7 days. Contact the Circulation Desk if you have questions about recalls.

Record – A collection of related data fields or an individual entry in a database. Each field, although related, is of a different type to all the other fields in the record.

Refereed Journal – see Peer Reviewed Journal.

Reference/Information/Research and Learning Desk – The Reference Desk is “Help Central” at the library. It is typically staffed by a trained graduate research assistants employee backed up by an on-call librarian. These teams help students with their research, answer questions about library services, respond to chat questions, and direct people to other offices and rooms in the building. 

Remote Access - From off-campus, you have to log in to use our databases. Your database login is the same as your UVID. If you don’t know what that is, please contact the ITS Service Desk at 773.508.4487 or via email at ITS Service Desk ITSServiceDesk@luc.edu.

Renewal – An extension on a book’s loan period. The renewal period is equivalent to the original check out period. Most items can be renewed twice as long as the item has not been requested by another user. You can request renewals online through the library website. A book borrowed through interlibrary loan may be renewed once, but the due dates and renewals are totally at the discretion of the library that owns the book.

Request – When you place request for a item from Library Catalog, it holds that item for you, whether it is on the shelf or checked out to another person. If you are a local student, you will be notified when it's ready to be picked up at the Circulation Desk.

Reserves -- Professors often put items (books, DVDs) on reserve at the Circulation Desk. These are usually assigned readings or films that need to be made available to all students in a class. Reserve items have shorter loan periods, and some must be used only in the library.

Scholarly Journal – see Peer-Reviewed Journal.

Subject Directory – A hierarchical grouping of related subject headings. The tree structure shows relationships between subject headings. They can be found either inside a database or separate from a database.

Subject Heading - See Descriptor.

Thesaurus - A list of subject headings or descriptors for a particular database. You can browse a database’s thesaurus to find controlled vocabulary terms to use in your searching.

Truncation – A search technique that expands a root word by using a specified symbol. In most databases, an asterisk * is used for truncation. For example: enter the keyword leader* to search for the words: leader, leaders, leadership.

URL - Uniform Resource Locator. The Internet address for a website.