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Serial titles are given in GeoRef on a historical basis, so that if a serial had one title from 1965-1978 and a second, changed title, from 1979 to date, GeoRef references to 1965-1978 issues of the serial will contain the key title and ISSN for the former title and references to 1979 and subsequent issues of the serial will contain the key title and ISSN of the current title. To search for all references to a particular serial, use both current and former titles or ISSNs, as shown in this GeoRef Serials List.

You can also contact GeoRef for assistance in conducting your search at ml@americangeosciences.org.

About the GeoRef Serials List

Titles
This Serials List is a list of titles. Main entries consist of:

• ISDS Key Title (except for titles which have been inactive since 1988, not converted to ISDS).
• Publisher — The name of the publisher and country of publication are given, if known, except for inactive titles.
• Alternate titles — The following kinds of alternate titles are given:
  • Parallel title (indicated by parallel title)
  • Former title (indicated by formerly)
  • Title of supplement (indicated by has supplement)
  • Title of translation (indicated by translated title)
  • Related title (not one of the above) (indicated by related title)
  • A vertical bar separates multiple titles
• ISSN — International Standard Serial Number of the main entry title. Includes online ISSN's. Given when established, except for inactive titles.
• CODEN of the main entry title — Given for many titles. Began to be used in the early 1970s in GeoRef.

Cross references from the above alternate titles are provided. ISSNs and CODENs of these alternates are included in some of the cross reference entries.

Coverage

"Serial" defined

The definition of "serial" used is that given in the Guidelines for the International Serials Data System (UNESCO, Paris, 1973):

A serial is a publication in print or in non-print form, issued in successive parts, usually having numerical or chronological designations, and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials include periodicals, newspapers, annuals (reports, yearbooks, directories, etc.), journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions, etc. of societies, and monographic series.

It should be noted that this definition does not include works produced in successive parts for a period predetermined as finite, and that it allows the inclusion of unnumbered series.

Which issues were scanned for GeoRef?

Inclusion of a serial in this list does not mean that the serial was scanned for GeoRef each year the serial was published. Prominent geological serials most probably were covered during this entire period. (C) following a serial title indicates at least one issue of the serial has been scanned for GeoRef since 1990. (S) following a serial title indicates the serial is cited only as a serial in GeoRef and that individual issues are not analyzed, usually because no signed articles appear in the serial. (Questions on which issues of a particular serial have been scanned should be addressed to the AGI library.)

Serials and non-serials in GeoRef

Serials account for roughly 85% of the total references in GeoRef. The non-serial materials that make up the rest of GeoRef include books, reports, maps, and theses. References in GeoRef can be searched online by document type.

Serials in the B.I.G.

The annual cumulations and monthly issues of the Bibliography and Index of Geology from 1980 through 2005 included a serials section, which showed the title, imprint or abbreviated title, CODEN or ISSN (or both), volume, number, and date of each serial cited in that cumulation or issue. For example, in 1992 GeoRef added citations from approximately 4,000 serials which are listed in the Serials section of the 1992 cumulation.

Prior to 1980, the monthly issues and annual cumulations contained lists of serials arranged by abbreviated title consisting, for each serial, of abbreviated title followed by full title. Usually the full title includes the publisher and place of publication.

The entries in the serials section of the Bibliography and Index of Geology provide additional information not contained in the individual citations of the Bibliography, which contain only key titles or abbreviated titles.