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Ohio State University logo University Libraries arrow Science and Engineering Library

How to... (tips)

Read Call Numbers
Identify and Locate OSU Dissertations and Theses
Decode Citations
Read Call Numbers
OSUL uses the Library of Congress classification system which organizes books and journals by subject. Library holdings are shelved by call number. Each call number is unique; combined with a library location code, call numbers serve as addresses. Call numbers generally incorporate the subject classification, a code for the author, and year of publication. The example below shows how the location and call number appear in an OSCAR record and on the spine of a book.

OSCAR record:
Example record from OSCAR

Book spine:

SEL
TJ211.3
H67
1986

  Science & Engineering Library bookstacks (4th floor)
TJ = mechanical engineering; 211 = robots; .3 = robot vision
(read as H.67) relates to the author's last name
year of publication

Note : read the second line of a call number as if the number after the letter were a decimal. The call numbers below are arranged in correct order; review them to help understand shelving order.

Books arranged by call number. BF572 F68 comes before BF572 F8.

Identify and Locate Dissertations and Theses

Digital Dissertations (dissertations from hundreds of colleges and universities)
Electronic Theses and Dissertations (OhioLINK ETD Center)
Research Databases

Dissertations and theses granted by the College of Engineering and the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences are now housed at the Ackerman Library (exception: those for geology and mineralogy are in the Geology Library).

Since 1988, the advisor's name has been included in the catalog record; to find dissertations or theses done under a particular advisor, search the advisor's name as an author in OSCAR.

Since 1986, call numbers for dissertations and theses have been coded by department, year, degree, and author. If you wanted to find all the dissertations and master's theses published in 2000 in the Department of Chemistry, this would be the procedure:

  • Go to Other Call Number Search in OSCAR (theses call numbers cannot be searched as Library of Congress Call Numbers)
  • type in: the:chy2000 (the stands for thesis or dissertation, chy stands for Chemistry)
If you know the author and/or title of the dissertation/thesis, search for it in OSCAR as you would for any book.

The following codes, for departments within COE and MPS, are used in generating call numbers for theses published after 1985:
  • AER - Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering
  • ARC - Architecture
  • ATN - Astronomy
  • ATS - Atmospheric Sciences
  • AVN - Aviation
  • BME - Bio-Medical Engineering
  • CER - Ceramic Engineering
  • CHN - Chemical Engineering
  • CHP - Chemical Physcis
  • CHY - Chemistry
  • CRP - City and Regional Planning
  • CIV - Civil Engineering
  • CIS - Computer & Information Sciences
  • ELE - Electrical Engineering
  • ENM - Engineering Mechanics
  • GED - Geodetic Science and Surveying
  • IND - Industrial and Systems Engineering
  • LAN - Landscape Architecture
  • MTL - Materials Science & Engineering (Metallurgical Engineering)

  • MAH - Mathematics
  • MEC - Mechanical Engineering
  • MIN - Mining Engineering
  • NUC - Nuclear Engineering
  • PHS - Physics
  • STA - Statistics
  • WEL - Welding Engineering


    • A full list of codes for all deparments is also available.

    For other dissertations and theses, inquire at any library reference desk.

    Decode Citations
    Citations usually abbreviate journal and conference titles but the full title is needed for searching OSCAR and OhioLINK. Words like on, of, for make a difference when they occur within a title. You can make an educated guess at the title and substitute of, on, for at appropriate places (ex. International Journal of ...). The following resources may help determine the full title:

    WWW Links:
    Common Citation Abbreviations (lists abbreviations & the words for which they are commonly used) ex: Rev. may stand for Review, or Revue, or Revista... (Adapted for SEL)
    All that JAS (Journal Abbreviation Sources) lists WWW sites that can be used to search an abbreviation and find the full title; a good general site is CISTI OnLine Catalog Title Search ; see also discipline specific sites.

    Print Resources:
    Z5521 A3 1907-1999 - Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (in carrousel on SEL's reference desk)
    Z6945 A2P47     - Periodical Title Abbreviations; by abbreviation, 10th ed., 1996 (also in carrousel)



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