hard copy
a  copy of textual or graphic information produced on paper in normal size

hit
a successful match during a search in a database

hypertext
a type text that links to other documents when clicked on with a computer mouse.

icon
a graphic representation of an object, a concept, or a message

index
a list of terms pointing to the location of that item (e.g., an index in a book gives the page number of a needed subject)

keyword search
searches for all articles that contain your search words

keywords
search terms generally found in any searchable field (e.g., subject headings, descriptive statements, or abstracts)

limit search
an option that lets you add more words to your search, or limit the citations found in some way (e.g., limit to those with full text)

logical operators
the use of AND, OR, and NOT to join keywords in combinations which tell the database search program how the key words must interact to provide the desired results

matches
in a keyword search, the records the user locates by looking up a specific term or terms

multimedia
the use of a computer to combine and present text, graphics, audio, and video with links and tools that let the user navigate, interact, create, and communicate

navigation
ways in which the user moves about an electronic database or Web site as information is retrieved

networked computer
a configuration of computers linked by cables and interface cards that access the same programs or data at the same time

online
a computerized source of information (e.g., on a network, CD-ROM, or the Internet)

paraphrasing
the act of putting another person's ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing simplifies a selection; it does not necessarily shorten it.

plagiarism
the act of using another person's ideas or expressions in one's writing without acknowledging the source

primary sources
the use of actual historic sources (e.g., government documents, speeches, news footage, eyewitness accounts, and so on)

query
a request for information from a database

quote
copying exactly as it was written or said, and then giving credit to the author

rubric
an evaluation tool which uses a set of criteria and a rating/scoring guide predetermined by the evaluator(s). Rubrics can be used for evaluating presentations, projects, portfolios, and so on.

secondary sources
material written or reported at some point after an event occurred

subject search
search for major headings that contain your search words

summarizing
the act of cutting down a selection to about one-third of its original length. Its purpose is to shorten a passage without sacrificing its basic meaning.

truncation
the process of dropping off letters from a word in a search in order to locate all possible combinations of the term and using a specific character to show truncation (e.g., whal* would locate items about whale, whales, and whaling)

user interface
the ease of use of an electronic resource (e.g., clear menu options, print instructions, ways to modify a search, and so on)

Venn diagram
a visual, graphic representation of the concepts of combining, joining, or rejecting items based on their characteristics or lack of characteristics. Venn diagrams are used to represent the AND, OR, and NOT concepts of Boolean logic.

wild cards
characters  that replace letters in words, allowing for more hits in a search.
Example:  teen*