| Middle East & Jewish World Databank |
DATABANK USER’S GUIDE
Introduction
The Canadian Institute for Jewish Research has prepared this User’s Guide to the Index to facilitate the accessing of research materials.
General
As a general rule, proper names, institutional names and subjects are indexed in alphabetical order. For example, "Australia" precedes "Austria."
Proper Names
The proper names of individuals appear in the following order: last name, the person’s title, if any, (i.e., "Sheikh", "King") and finally, the person’s first name. For example, "Rabbi M.M. Schneerson" appears in the Index as "Schneerson, Rabbi M.M."
Institutional Names
The names of organizations and institutions usually appear in two forms: abbreviated by their initials and spelled out in full. The name of an institution, spelled out in full, appears in the Index according to alphabetical order. Where the name of an institution is represented by initials a note directs the user to the name spelled out in full. For example, "AIPAC" (see "American-Israel Public Affairs Committee"), or "WZO" (see "World Zionist Organization").
Subjects
Most of the materials in the Databank are classified by subject. Following the rule, the Index arranges subject names (e.g., "Dead Sea Scrolls") in alphabetical order. Some subjects have sub-classifications. For example, the main subject "Israel" has many sub-categories, each containing material on a specialized topic. The main subject is shown in bold, capitalized letters (i.e., ISRAEL) with its sub-categories arranged in alphabetical order directly below it. For example:
Israel- History- Independence [1947-48]
Israel- History- Post-Independence-Present "Iraq Relations"
Israel- History- Yishuv (Pre-Independence)
In the example shown above, materials on different periods in the history of Israel are classified in their respective sub-categories. Materials that cannot be appropriately classified in any of the main subject’s sub-categories are placed in its "General" file. For example, in the list displayed below, "Judaism- General" contains articles which could not be classified appropriately in the sub-categories of the main subject, "Judaism".
JUDAISM (see also "Jewish"; "Jews")
Judaism- Conservative*
Judaism- General
Judaism- Modern Orthodox*
Judaism- Reconstructionist*
Judaism- Reform*
Cross-References
The Index uses two types of cross references, "see" and "see also" .
The "see" reference is encountered where an entry appears in the Index but not in the classification system. No file exists for this subject; the "see" reference directs the user to the relevant category, or categories, in which the related material has been filed. For example,
"Israel- Immigrants" [see "Israel- Absorption of Immigrants/Aliyah"]
The "see also" reference, appearing in parentheses to the right of a category or sub-category, directs the user to additional or related materials classified under other headings.
For example,
Israel- Palestinian Relations [see also "Peace Process"; "Israel- Intifada Policy"; "Israel- Arab Community"; "Israel- Terrorism"; "Palestinian National Authority- Autonomous Cities")
Asterisks
A single asterisk (*) indicates additional material contained in the CIJR Archives. A double asterisk (**) indicates Index material contained only in the CIJR Archives.