abstract

Summary, especially of articles, books, or proceedings, as far as possible in the words of the original.

Contributors to learned journals are often required to write the abstract of their own article, which can then appear at its head, and which can also be used by abstracting services. Abstracts are particularly essential to scientists, who can keep abreast of developments in their own field without having to read the full text of everything published on the subject.

The first recorded abstract journal, Journal des Scavans, was published 1665 by Denis de Sallo, and by the end of the 19th century the foundations had been laid for comprehensive abstracting services.