COSTS OF AN ABSTRACTING PROGRAM*
By
J. W. MOHLMAN
Research and Development Department, American Oil Company, Whiting, Indiana
Any a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m , t o be of g r e a t e s t value i n a p r a c t i c a l s e n s e , ought to p e r f o r m two p r i n c i p a l functions: announce s e l e c t e d c u r r e n t a b s t r a c t s , and provide a n indexed pool of a b s t r a c t s . Although a j o u r n a l of a b s t r a c t s s u c h as C h e m i c a l A b s t r a c t s m i g h t s e r v e both functions f o r a specialized audience, a large organization's p r o g r a m r e q u i r e s a m o r e selective presentation of a b s t r a c t s c o v e r i n g s e v e r a l d i s c i p l i n e s i n a d dition to c h e m i s t r y . L a r g e o r g a n i z a t i o n s will c u s t o m - d e s i g n and m a n a g e p r o g r a m s f o r t h e i r distinctive n e e d s by c a r e f u l s e l e c t i o n of a b s t r a c t s , by editing or slanting a b s t r a c t s t o e m p h a s i z e p a r t i c u l a r r e l e v a n c e of s u b j e c t m a t t e r , and by employing c e r t a i n f o r m a t s to a c c o m m o d a t e m a n u a l or m a c h i n e s y s t e m s . Individual p e t r o l e u m c o m p a n i e s , f o r e x a m p l e , m a y or m a y not be c o n c e r n e d with production, natural gas, petrochemicals, and t h e r e f o r e e a c h would need a c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y t a i l o r e d a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m . Out of 200 o r s o U.S. pet r o l e u m - r e f i n i n g c o m p a n i e s , only 20 t o 30 have a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m s f o r l i t e r a t u r e and p a t e n t s . The c o s t s of p e t r o l e u m - c o m p a n y a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m s ought to be s i m i l a r t o those f o r o t h e r l a r g e organizations, especially in the process i n d u s t r i e s , as the s a m e e l e m e n t s of c o s t apply i n both c a s e s . The A m e r i c a n Oil Company program i s a successful operation representative of o t h e r s i n the p e t r o l e u m - r e f i n i n g and p e t r o c h e m i c a l i n d u s t r y , s u c h that c o s t s b a s e d on t h i s p r o g r a m can r e a l i s t i c a l l y be c o m p a r e d with c o s t s of s i m i l a r p r o g r a m s ,
TABLE
L
PITFALLS O F ABSTRACTING BY THE TECHNICAL STAFF Presumed advantages
Each e x p e n i s best suited to abstract in h i s field of specialty. Each expert will keep abreast of h i s own art. Each expert can be responsible for h i s own field. Responsibility for abstracting would be fixed individually. Distribution of patents would be simplified. Abstracting would be done during free w r k i n g time. Actual disadvantages Abstracts were narrow in outlook and rambling. Interesting patents were hoarded and abstracts of them were late or missing. Delegation of a multi-subject patent for abstracting by one expert became impossible. Responsibility w a s unenforceable. Bookkeeping became enormous, loaning too complicated; delays and l o s s e s resulted. Unfamiliarity d t h the technique of abstracting demanded e x c e s s i v e time. Backlogs of items were sloppily abstracted to save time.
e.,
AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM A m e r i c a n h a s evolved a s a t i s f a c t o r y a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m d u r i n g 30 y e a r s of continuous o p e r a t i o n u n d e r s e v e r a l different s y s t e m s . O r i g i n a l l y , the r e s e a r c h staff itself w a s r e s p o n s i ble f o r all a b s t r a c t i n g . S c i e n t i s t s and e n g i n e e r s w e r e a s s i g n e d p a t e n t s and a r t i c l e s i n t h e i r f i e l d s of s p e c i a l t y f o r a b s t r a c t i n g , with the hope t h a t the t h o r n y p r o b l e m would be r e s o l v e d with benefit a c c r u i n g t o t h e individuals a s well as to the staff as a whole. S e v e r a l y e a r s of e x p e r i e n c e showed t h a t p r e s u m e d a d v a n t a g e s w e r e outweighed by r e s u l t i n g d i s a d v a n t a g e s . As shown i n Table I, staff - p r e p a r e d a b s t r a c t s w e r e of poor quality, l o a n e d j o u r n a l s and patents w e r e l o s t i n p e r s o n a l f i l e s , and t h e e n t i r e s y s t e m b e c a m e unmanageable. T h e s i t u a t i o n needed c o r r e c t i o n a n d , bec a u s e patents gave the m o s t t r o u b l e , a n opposite philosophy w a s t r i e d with t h e m . L i t e r a t u r e
'Presented before Division of Chemical Literature, ACS Meeting, New
a b s t r a c t i n g w a s continued by the staff a s b e f o r e . One t e c h n i c a l m a n w a s s e l e c t e d t o a b s t r a c t all U S . patents; he a g r e e d to u n d e r t a k e the a s s i g n m e n t f o r a y e a r , In addition he would o r d e r and s c r e e n the p a t e n t s , and r o u t e e x t r a c o p i e s of patents and a b s t r a c t s of t h e m to l a b o r a t o r y s c i e n t i s t s s o l e l y f o r quick i n f o r m a t i o n . T h i s s y s t e m proved e x c e l l e n t f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , but, as the c o m p a n y ' s i n t e r e s t broadened into new f i e l d s , the volume of patents a p p r o a c h e d the l i m i t f o r one m a n . Meanwhile, the s y s t e m philosophy began to swing away f r o m having the l a b o r a t o r y staff p r e p a r e l i t e r a t u r e a b s t r a c t s , and i n c r e a s i n g e m p h a s i s w a s placed on p r o c u r i n g l i t e r a t u r e a b s t r a c t s f r o m published and p r o f e s s i o n a l s o u r c e s ind having t h e m edited and s l a n t e d by inform2 >n-staff s p e c i a l i s t s . The growing o v e r l o a d i n the a b s t r a c t i n g of p a t e n t s , plus the new s o u r c e s of f i n i s h e d l i t e r a t u r e a b s t r a c t s , finally r e s u l t e d i n adoption of the p r e s e n t o p e r a t i n g s y s t e m . In c o n t r a s t to p a s t o p e r a t i o n s , a m a j o r amount of effort g o e s into s e l e c t i n g i t e m s f o r a b s t r a c t i n g f r o m both l i t e r a t u r e and p a t e n t s . A b s t r a c t s a r e p u r c h a s e d a s m u c h as p o s s i b l e , and o t h e r w i s e a r e obtained by t r a d i n g English-language patent a b s t r a c t s f o r them. All j o u r n a l s r e c e i v e d a r e i n s p e c t e d to s e l e c t t h o s e a b s t r a c t s d e s i r e d , with the full a r t i c l e available f o r d e t a i l e d r e a d i n g to check p e r t i n e n c y T h i s is a big job, involving m u c h r e a d i n g and s i m u l t a n e o u s evaluation. S e l e c t i o n of U.S. patents is s o m e w h a t simplified by a u t o m a t i c o r d e r i n g ,of s p e c i f i c c l a s s e s of known i n t e r e s t . Remaining U S . patents of
York, N. Y., September 12. 1960.
64
65
COSTS O F AN ABSTRACTING PROGRAM
m a r g i n a l i n t e r e s t a r e quickly and r e a d i l y s c r e e n e d f o r i m p o r t a n c e to the p r o g r a m . Howe v e r , the s e l e c t i o n of f o r e i g n patents is c o m p l i cated by language p r o b l e m s and by s h o r t t i t l e s t h a t a r e often too vague to p r e v e n t o r d e r i n g unwanted o n e s . A f e w g e n e r a l patent c l a s s e s m a y be o r d e r e d , but usually the initial s e l e c t i o n is conducted f r o m the l i s t s of patent t i t l e s in the g a z e t t e s and bulletins of e a c h country. After o r d e r e d copies of patents have been r e c e i v e d , i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o s c r e e n out the unwanted o n e s t o p r e v e n t n e e d l e s s dilution and o v e r l o a d of the program. The wanted a b s t r a c t s of the l i t e r a t u r e a n d patents a r e then p r o c u r e d as a u t h o r s ' a b s t r a c t s , through subscription s e r v i c e s , o r f r o m prof e s s i o n a l a b s t r a c t o r s . Next the a b s t r a c t s a r e indexed, edited, and t i t l e d . Titling of patents includes substitution of m o r e -meaningful t i t l e s , a n d a s s i g n m e n t of a principal i n d e x t i t l e . The p r e s e n t p r o g r a m p r o d u c e s about 15,000 a b s t r a c t s p e r y e a r , about equally divided between E n g l i s h and o t h e r l a n g u a g e s a s a g r o u p . P a t e n t s r e p r e s e n t about '5570 and j o u r n a l a r t i c l e s about 45% of the a b s t r a c t s . , A bi-weekly bulletin c o n t a i n s c e r t a i n of the s e l e c t e d a b s t r a c t s and ann o u n c e s all the r e s t by t i t l e . A m a s t e r pool of a b s t r a c t s contains copies of a l l a b s t r a c t s f i l e d u n d e r e a c h indexing ' t e r m . O p e r a t i o n of the p r o g r a m involves two m a j o r i t e m s of e x p e n s e : the c o s t of " r a w " a b s t r a c t s , and the c o s t of processing them.
COST OF RAW ABSTRACTS The f a c t o r of s e l e c t i v i t y m a k e s wanted a b s t r a c t s c o s t m o s t . F o r e x a m p l e , the c o s t of a r a w a b s t r a c t i s highest when a n individual i t e m is o r d e r e d f o r a b s t r a c t i n g by a p r o f e s s i o n a l . On the o t h e r h a n d , a bulk package of m a n y a b s t r a c t s , obtained f r o m a subsscription s e r v i c e , c o s t s m u c h l e s s p e r a b s t r a c t . Unfortunately, i n the bulk p a c k a g e , a s i z a b l e f r a c t i o n of t h e . a b s t r a c t s a r e unwanted, and r e a l effort plus c o r r e s p o n d i n g e x p e n s e a r e n e e d e d t o s e l e c t the o n e s w a n t e d . Bulk a b s t r a c t s a r e available a t c o s t s of about half a cent to half a d o l l a r a p i e c e , a s shown in T a b l e 11. D e s p i t e the 100-fold v a r i a t i o n in the p e r - a b s t r a c t c o s t of typical s u b s c r i p t i o n s e r v i c e s , all a r e pertinent i n s o m e d e g r e e to m o s t a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m s . As a n e x a m p l e of e x t r e m e l y i n e x p e n s i v e a b s t r a c t s , the c o s t f o r C h e m i c a l A b s t r a c t s is down to n e a r l y half a cent a n a b s t r a c t , but l a r g e blocks m a y not be w a n t e d . The m a i n value is f o r c l e a n u p in s e c u r i n g a b s t r a c t s of l i t e r a t u r e not n o r m a l l y p r o c e s s e d . Selectivity and d e s i r a b i l i t y of .bulk a b s t r a c t s a r e v a s t l y m o r e i m p o r t a n t to the p r o g r a m than m e r e availability. Purchased abstracts f r o m professional a b s t r a c t o r s a r e p r i c e d on t h r e e b a s e s : p e r single a b s t r a c t , p e r h o u r , cir p e r h u n d r e d w o r d s . On the p e r - a b s t r a c t b a s i s r e p o r t e d r a t e s a r e $2.30
TABLE I1.COST OF ABSTRACTS IN BULK Annual
Abstracts
Cost per
925 108 240 $6,000
145,000 5,200 1,300 10,000
$0.006 $0.021 $0.185 $0.60
cost per year abstract Chemical Abstracts (1961) Derwent Belgian Parents Report Gas-Chromatography Abstracts A.P.I. Technical Abstracts
$ $ $
and h i g h e r f o r i t e m s on control technology,l and $5.70 to $10.00 f o r i t e m s on m e t e o r o l o g y . * On a t i m e b a s i s , p r o f e s s i o n a l a b s t r a c t o r s c h a r g e $2.50 to $3.00 p e r h o u r f o r working on a r t i c l e s or patents i n E n g l i s h , F r e n c h , or G e r m a n on p e t r o l e u m - r e f i n i n g technology. A m o r e c o m m o n p r a c t i c e i s to c h a r g e p e r hund r e d w o r d s in the a b s t r a c t ; typical r a t e s a r e $1.50 to $2.00 p e r hundred w o r d s and v a r y with the language of the o r i g i n a l a r t i c l e or patent. Any r e l a t i o n s h i p between the r a t e s p e r a b s t r a c t , p e r h o u r , or p e r h u n d r e d w o r d s cannot be a s t r i c t one, b e c a u s e s o m e i t e m s a r e abs t r a c t e d e a s i l y w h e r e a s o t h e r s r e q u i r e lengthy analysis; m o r e o v e r , some a b s t r a c t o r s work f a s t e r than o t h e r s . P a t e n t s a r e w r i t t e n i n a s t a n d a r d i z e d f o r m a t , which usually m a k e s it s i m p l e r to find and a b s t r a c t e s s e n t i a l i n f o r m a t i o n than i n the a v e r a g e journal a r t i c l e . An E n g l i s h - l a n g u a g e patent c a n be a b s t r a c t e d in a n hour or two, F o r e i g n - l a n g u a g e o n e s , although taking about the s a m e t i m e , r e q u i r e m o r e final i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and polishing
.
COST OF PROCESSING ABSTRACTS The p r e s e n t p r o g r a m c o v e r s a b s t r a c t i n g f r o m 450 j o u r n a l s a n d f r o m patents of twelve c o u n t r i e s . Table I11 shows the effort f o r s e lecting a n d f u r t h e r p r o c e s s i n g of a b s t r a c t s , exclusive of the p u r c h a s e c o s t . The professional e f f o r t c o n s i s t s of s e l e c t i n g , s c r e e n i n g , indexing and editing, and titling. It t a k e s 40 h o u r s p e r week to s e l e c t journal a r t i c l e s , and only 16 to s e l e c t and s c r e e n p a t e n t s . The possibility of r e d u c i n g the intellectual effort f o r the s e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s by utilizing e c o n o m i c a l m a c h i n e t e c h niques s e e m s r e m o t e . If l i t e r a t u r e and patents w e r e published with a l i s t of d e s c r i p t o r s o r indexing t e r m s , plus a n a u t h o r s ' a b s t r a c t , the effort and r e s u l t i n g c o s t of s e l e c t i o n would be g r e a t l y r e d u c e d and a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m s would benefit, The n o n p r o f e s s i o n a l effort f o r handling, typing, duplicating, s o r t i n g , filing, and m i s c e l l a n e o u s i s about 140 h o u r s p e r week f o r l i t e r a t u r e and 180 f o r p a t e n t s . T h e s e p r o f e s s i o n a l and n o n p r o f e s s i o n a l h o u r s p e r w e e k c a n be u s e d to d e v e l o p a g e n e r a l i z e d c o s t f o r s e l e c t i n g and p r o c e s s i n g a b s t r a c t s , on the b a s i s of a n a r b i t r a r y s a l a r y of $10,000 and a wage of $4200.
66
J . W. Mohlman
TABLE 111 TIME HOURS PER WEEK REQUIRED TO SELECT AND PROCESS ABSTRACTS Professional Patents
Literature
10 6 17 4 37
40 0 20
Selecting Screening Indexing and editing Titling
-
P
The A m e r i c a n Oil Company p r o g r a m figu r e d on the a r b i t r a r y s a l a r y and wage b a s i s would c o s t between $5.80 and $8.80 p e r a b s t r a c t . S i m i l a r l y , a p r o g r a m a t Esso R e s e a r c h and E n g i g e e r i n g Company c o s t s $4 to $7, exclusive of the e x p e n s e of maintaining a r e f e r e n c e pool of a b s t r a c t s . A synthetic e x a m p l e without a c a r d pool3 is r e p o r t e d to c o s t $6.60 on t h e s a m e basis.
60
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
Nonprofessional Handling Typing Duplicating Sorting Filing Miscellaneous
9 26 9
11 34 11 45 45 34 180
35 35
-
26 140
TOTAL COST OF A PROGRAM The total c o s t f o r a p r o g r a m s i m i l a r i n scope to Ame r i c a n ' s ,bas e d on g e n e r a l i z e d s a l a r y and wage f i g u r e s , is the c o s t of r a w a b s t r a c t s plus the c o s t of selecting and p r o c e s s i n g . As Table IV s h o w s , f o r patents, r a w a b s t r a c t s c o s t between $2.00 and $5.00 and the effort c o s t s about $3.80. The total c o s t , then, r a n g e s f r o m $5.80 to $8.80. S i m i l a r l y f o r l i t e r a t u r e , r a w a b s t r a c t s c o s t between $1 .OO and $3.00, and the effort is $5.20, s u c h that the total i s $6.20 to $8.20. Excluded in t h e s e figu r e s a r e c o s t s of j o u r n a l s , patents, p a p e r , ink, m a c h i n e s , and equipment. The total c o s t f o r l i t e r a t u r e a b s t r a c t s is n a r r o w e r and within the c o s t r a n g e f o r patent a b s t r a c t s . The c o s t of r a w a b s t r a c t s constitutes half or l e s s of the total c o s t of the p r o g r a m . T h e r e f o r e , a p r o g r a m p r o c e s s i n g 15,000 a b s t r a c t s p e r y e a r would c o s t $1 10,000 annually. TABLE IV. TOTAL COST OF AN ABSTRACTING PROGRAM Patents Raw abstracts c o s t Selecting and processing
$2.00 to 5.00 Professional
Hours per week Rate per hour Cost p e r week
Nonprofessional
37 $4.80 $178
180 $2.00 5365
Abstracts used per week Cost for selecting and processing, per abstract
T
A
$543 143 $3.80
Total cost per abstract
$5.80 to 8.80 Literature
Raw abstracts c o s t Hours per week Rate per hour Cost per week
$1.00 to 3.00 60
$4.80 $288
Abstracts used pet week Cost for selecting and processing, per abstract Total c o s t per abstract
140 $2.00 $284
$572 110 $5.20
$6.20 to 8.20
S e v e r a l developments will tend to affect the c o s t s of a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m s i n coming y e a r s . The a b s t r a c t i n g s e r v i c e s a r e beginning to move t o w a r d cooperation. T r a d e a s s o c i a t i o n s , u n i v e r s i t i e s , publications, and g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s a r e beginning to r e c o g n i z e the l a r g e stake they have in the c o s t of information. The National F e d e r a t i o n of S c i e n c e Abs t r a c t i n g and Indexing w a s f o r m e d i n 1958 by C h e m i c a l A b s t r a c t s and a dozen other a g e n c i e s and s e r v i c e s . It is a i m e d a t coordinating the w o r k of the m e m b e r organizations, improving documentation, and looking into m a c h i n e s y s t e m s f o r simplifying the handling of information. Recently i t h a s u n d e r t a k e n a s u r v e y of c o s t s of a b s t r a c t s within i t s m e m b e r s h i p , which c o v e r s s u c h d i v e r s e f i e l d s as a e r o - s p a c e , m e chanics, m e t a l s , a g r i c u l t u r e , biology, and medicine. T r a d e a s s o c i a t i o n s in the m e t a l s , m e d i c a l , and p e t r o l e u m f i e l d s have been c o n c e r n e d with cooperative a b s t r a c t i n g . The A m e r i c a n P e t r o l e u m Institute h a s offered a bulletin of a b s t r a c t s on refining l i t e r a t u r e f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , and i t i s proposing to extend c o v e r a g e to r e fining patents. The new s e r v i c e ought to be valuable to m o s t of the industry. Also, the A.P.I. is c o n s i d e r i n g a n abstracting s e r v i c e t o include p e t r o l e u m exploration and production. A b s t r a c t i n g would a p p e a r to be a n app r o p r i a t e function f o r u n i v e r s i t i e s as p a r t of t h e i r traditional custodianship of knowledge. One university is proceeding with plans to offer a b s t r a c t s of p e t r o l e u m l i t e r a t u r e and patents. In the a r e a of publications, i t h a s been only a few y e a r s s i n c e a u t h o r s ' a b s t r a c t s began to be r e q u i r e d f o r a c c e p t a n c e of a p a p e r f o r publication. This p r a c t i c e originated s o m e 30 y e a r s ago with the J o u r n a l of the A m e r i c a n C h e m i c a l Society, 23 y e a r s ago with the Berichte, and 13 y e a r s ago with the J o u r n a l of the C h e m i c a l Society. A s i m p l e r e q u i r e m e n t of a u t h o r s ' a b s t r a c t s plus s o m e indexing t e r m s as well, i n all technical j o u r n a l s , would g r e a t l y a s s i s t abstracting programs. Since 1945, the g o v e r n m e n t h a s become i n c r e a s i n g l y productive of scientific inform a t i o n . M o r e r e c e n t l y , it h a s become conc e r n e d with information-handling p a o b l e m s . T h e National Science Foundation is ~
COSTS OF AN ABSTRACTING PROGRAM
e m p o w e r e d to f o s t e r the exchange of scientific i n f o r m a t i o n and, i n its first annual r e p o r t i n 1950, s t a t e d t h a t i t would s p o n s o r r e s e a r c h t o i m p r o v e existing m e t h o d s of a b s t r a c t i n g . An i s s u e d r e p o r t on subject-slanting of a b s t r a c t s and a guide t o s c i e n c e - a b s t r a c t i n g s e r v i c e s typify the m a n y ot,her possibilities f o r investigation. A p r o g r a m u s i n g p u r c h a s e d a b s t r a c t s plus f e w e r p r e p a r e d ones is o p e r a b l e f o r l a r g e as well as s m a l l o r g a n i z a t i o n s . C o s t s a r e controllable a n d v a r y m a i n l y with the d e g r e e of
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s e l e c t i v i t y d e s i r e d . As m o r e a b s t r a c t s of l i t e r a t u r e and patents become available f r o m c e n t r a l i z e d and c o o p e r a t i n g s o u r c e s , the c o s t of r a w a b s t r a c t s should d r o p . H o w e v e r , s o m e d o c u m e n t a r y control p e r m i t t i n g e a s i e r selection of d e s i r e d patents and l i t e r a t u r e a b s t r a c t s would contribute g r e a t l y to r e d u c i n g the m a j o r e l e m e n t of c o s t i n a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m s . Such d o c u m e n t a r y c o n t r o l s and goals c a n r e s u l t t h r o u g h the continuing a c t i v i t i e s i n i n d u s t r y , u n i v e r s i t i e s , and g o v e r n m e n t f o r i m p r o v i n g abstracts,
LITERATURE CITED ‘ 0 . Frank, “Cooperation and Coordination in Absrracring and Documenration,” Internarional Conference on Scientific Information, National Academy
of Sciences, Washingron, D. C., 1958, p. 407.
‘M, Rigby, “Cosr Analysis of Bibliographies or Bibliographic Services,” ibid., p. 383.
3B. H. Weil, Columbia Universiry Library School Lecrure, 1960.
