Library and Information Science

This writer stresses the need of simplified forms of bibliographical references to journal articles and explains it in 6 chapters.

1. Literature citation systems are grouped in A (list at end), B (footnotes), C (in-text), and subdivided into A-1 (alphabetical arrangement without numbering), A-2 (alphabetical arrangement with numbering), A-3 (numerical arrangement by order of citation), B-1, (full footnotes), B-2 (simple footnotes with a separate list) and C. Examining merits and demerits of each, the writer recommends A-2 as his preference. Table 1 is the result of the writer's survey on literature citation systems in 300 medical journals, and it indicates the prevalence of A-2 (60%).
2. The simplification of author entries is discussed: Initials of first and middle names are parenthesized. The mark & replaces and, und, et and so forth. The abbreviation etc. is used instead of and others, et alii, and so forth.
3. The discussion is concentrated upon brief titles of journals, especially upon initial-letter abbreviation. And the need of international coordination and control on abbreviations is emphasized.
4. The writer discusses how to indicate volume numbers and dates of publication, comparing Bishop's Coden (date omitted) with Reid's Sigils (volume omitted).
5. Pagination is the subject. The writer maintains that such abbreviations as pp., p., ff., f. can be eliminated, and that only the first page, neither inclusive pages nor a particular page cited, should be indicated.
6. Some concrete examples are shown. Commenting on Shera's objection to Dunkin, the writer concludes that librarians are generally conservative about forms of bibliographical references because they can not be free from the curse of descriptive cataloging.