An abstract service for specific research areas of high current interest: A preliminary report

In order to provide a rapid, comprehensive survey of specific research areas of high current interest, but of highly diversified literature, an abstract service was organized in August, 1958. Cancer Immunology Abstracts was the first of five publications; best known is Cancer Chemotherapy Abstracts; newest is Psychopharmacology Abstracts. Abstracts are prepared by a staff with bio‐medical graduate degrees who become familiar with and proficient in the areas of survey; papers are re‐read and checked by a second abstracter, then checked again by the editor. The emphasis is on selective and accurate abstraction from the viewpoint of the particular publication, with drug and data standardization. Scanning procedures included survey of 4700 biological and medical journals, with page‐by‐page analysis of a large number; abstracts, meetings and book reviews are included. Abstract journals and patent sources are covered for material not generally available; arrangements are made for direct receipt of these, since all abstracting is done from original sources. Advantages to the reader are greater coverage, specific topic extraction, and speed. Among the analyses to be presented will be comparisons with other documentation sources as to: (1) number of references selected for specific therapeutic agents; (2) time interval between appearance of a meeting abstract and the full report; (3) number of subject entries per abstract; (4) percentage of references chosen from selective reference lists; and (5) time interval between publication of an article and appearance of its abstract. Thorough coverage in depth of specific fields versus wide topic spread will be discussed.