IM244 UiTM Information Management

IML605 Abstracting And Indexing

Past year exam questions

JUN 2015
Define the following terms : 10m
a) Computer aided-indexing
b) Depth of indexing
c) Non-preferred terms
d) Scattering
e) Specificity in indexing
Briefly describe the relationship between classification and indexing. 5m
Briefly explain two (2) skills needed to produce good quality abstracts. 5m
Briefly discuss five (5) uses of indexes and abstracts. 5m
Briefly explain with example four (4) levels of indexing. 5m
Briefly explain three (3) differences between controlled and uncontrolled vocabularies. 5m

Disember 2015
a) ASI
b) Author Indexes
c) Concordance
d) Cumulative Indexes
e) Precision
Describe the use of abstract to improve searching in an information retrieval system (IRS).
How can the abstracting and indexing societies provide education and training for those interested in
abstracting and indexing work? Describe.
Describe three (3) elements that must be included in an indexing policy document.
Explain the importance of document analysis in the abstracting and indexing services.

JUNE 2016
a) Access point
b) Free-text searching
c) Generic posting
d) Indexing language
e) Permuted index
State two (2) reasons why the societal organization produced the most number of abstracting and
indexing services.
List three (3) differences between control vocabulary and free text indexing languages.
Describe the concept of representation in an abstract and index.
Explain two (2) reasons for the requirement of specialist abstractors to prepare critical abstracts.
Elaborate on the statement: "Abstract and index are both document analysis tools that play an
important part in documentary communication".
Indicate whether the following abstract sentences are informative, indicative or critical abstracts.
Dec 2015
a) Author abstracts
b) Bibliographic control
c) Cross-references
d) False drops
e) Post-coordinate indexing
Discuss two (2) types of indexes in the context of its level of indexing.
Briefly explain control vocabulary and natural indexing language and list three (3) differences between
control vocabulary and natural indexing.
Describe the importance of document analysis in abstracting and indexing services.
Briefly explain three (3) features of a quality abstract.
Elaborate on the classification of an abstract by two (2) categories based on their purpose.

JANUARY 2018
a) Author indexes
b) Citation indexes
c) Concordance
d) Narrower term
e) Precision
Describe how abstract can improve searching in an information retrieval system (IRS).
What is an indexing policy document? Describe three (3) elements that must be included in an indexing
policy document.
With the help of a diagram, discuss the relationship between indexing, abstracting and searching.

Disember 2016
a) Computer-aided indexing
b) Content analysis
c) Extracts
d) Keyword
e) Natural language
Discuss four (4) common policies that are provided as a guideline in index preparation.
Elaborate the following sentence: "an index and an abstract are not exact mimors of the document; they
are surrogates."
Describe the importance of the task of editing the abstract in the abstracting process. Who is
responsible in carrying out this task?

July 2017
a) Boolean search
b) Findings oriented abstract
c) Qualifier
d) Surrogate
e) Thesaurus
Explain with one (1) example the co-relation of an abstracting and indexing to the process of
bibliographic control.
Discuss two (2) categories of abstractors or abstract authors.
Identify three (3) reasons for the indexing of internet or web resources.