A glossary is a list of terminology that generally appears at the end of academic writings, theses, books, or articles. The glossary contains definitions of terms in the main text that may be unfamiliar or unclear to the casual reader. Initially, you must identify the terminology in the main text that will be included in the glossary. After that, create a definition for each terminology and make sure the format is appropriate so that it is neat and easy to read.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Identifying Terminology for the Glossary
Step 1. Determine the main target audience
If you're writing for a group of colleagues or professional colleagues, you don't need to define every word they might already understand. On the other hand, if your target audience is a layman, make sure you include terminology they may not understand.
Step 2. Read the main text to find unfamiliar terminology
Read the main text with a ballpoint pen or colored pen. Underline or highlight terminology that may be unfamiliar to the casual reader. Underline technical or academic terminology that may need to be explained in more detail outside of the main text. You can also choose the terminology that should be clarified even if the word is popular.
- For example, you might use technical terminology to describe a process, such as “ionization”. You may feel readers need clarification in the glossary.
- There may be terminology that is only briefly mentioned in the main text and you feel this terminology should be included in the glossary for additional information for the reader.
Step 3. Ask the editor to help identify the terminology
It may be difficult for you to identify, especially if you are very familiar with the content of the writing. If you work with an editor, such as a publisher editor, ask them to help you identify the terminology. They can help find terminology that is confusing or unclear to casual readers, especially if they are not experts in the field either.
For example, you might ask the editor, “Can you help me find the terminology for the glossary?” Or “Can you help me find terminology I might have missed for the glossary?”
Step 4. Ask the reader to help find the terminology
You can ask the reader to read the main text and highlight any unfamiliar terminology. Ask someone with average reading skills for help because you want the glossary to be useful to the general reader. Ask a friend, family member, classmate, colleague, or colleague as a reader.
- Tell them that they should pay attention to ambiguous or unfamiliar terminology in the main text. You can use multiple readers and take notes if most choose the same terminology.
- Use multiple readers to mark confusing terminology so that nothing is missed.
Step 5. Gather terminology for the glossary
After you've reread the text and asked editors and readers to help identify terminology, collect all of the terminology in one document. Analysis of these terminology. Make sure the terminology includes all concepts or ideas that are foreign to the target reader.
The terminology in the glossary should be broad and useful to the reader, but not overwhelming. For example, it's a good idea to create a one- or two-page glossary for a five- or six-page article, unless there's a lot of academic or technical terminology that requires further explanation. Don't enter too many words. It could be that the glossary is useless because it is too extensive
Part 2 of 3: Creating Definitions for Glossary Terminology
Step 1. Write a brief summary of each terminology
Once you have identified the terminology for the glossary, sit down and write a short summary for each word. Make a summary of two to four sentences total. Keep the summary short and to the point.
- Write your own summary. Do not copy paste definitions from other sources. Copying and pasting definitions from other sources and certifying them as your own is plagiarism.
- If you use content from other sources to create definitions, make sure you cite them appropriately.
Step 2. Create a definition that is simple and easy for readers to understand
Make sure the definition you provide is clear and precise for the average target reader. Do not use technical terminology to explain terminology in the glossary as this will confuse the reader. Don't make the glossary sound like a dictionary or use language that is too academic or technical. Definitions must be able to explain the terminology in the context of the core text using very simple language.
- For example, you might write a summary of the term “model”: “In this article, I used this terminology to discuss the relationships between research variables.”
- You can also write “See [other terminology]” if the terminology definition refers to another word in the glossary.
- For example, “In this article, I use this terminology to discuss the relationship between research variables. This terminology is often used by researchers to explain research variables. see VARIABLE.”
Step 3. Do not use abbreviations in the glossary
Abbreviations and acronyms must be included in a list called the “Abbreviation List”. Abbreviations and acronyms in the glossary will only confuse the reader. If you use a lot of abbreviations in the main text, they should be listed separately from the glossary.
- If you use a few abbreviations or acronyms, define them in the main text.
- For example, if you use the abbreviation “ATM” in the text once or twice, define it when it first appears and use the abbreviation after: “Automated Teller Machine (ATM)”.
Part 3 of 3: Organizing the Glossary
Step 1. Sort the terminology alphabetically
Once all the definitions have been created, sort the terminology in alphabetical order from “A” to “Z”. If you sort the terminology alphabetically, it will be easier for readers to find the word they are looking for.
Make sure you sort by the first and second letters. For example, in section “A” of the glossary, “Wine” should come before “Apple” because “n” comes before “p” in the alphabet. If the terminology is a combination of several words, use the first word of the phrase to determine its position in the glossary
Step 2. Separate the terminology using bullets or spaces
Make a point for each terminology for easy reading. You can also use a space between them so that the terminology doesn't stick together. Choose one type of format and use it consistently to keep the glossary looking clean and tidy.
- You can use subpoints for a single terminology entry if the word has a subconcept or idea. If you need it, put subpoints under the main points to make the content easy to read. Example:
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“Role-playing games or role-playing games: Role-playing games are games that place the player as a specific character or characters in a fictional story. The game is popular in the nerdy culture of the United States. In the article, I concentrate on this game to explore the effect role-playing has on social groups.”
My Little Pony role-playing games: a subgroup of role-playing games about the characters in the My Little Pony franchise
Step 3. Type in italics or bold the terminology in the glossary
You can make the glossary easier to read by typing in italics or bolding the terminology in the glossary. Terminology will stand out among the definitions and easy to find in the text. Choose italic or bold text and use one format consistently to make the glossary look uniform.
- For example, you might use the word, as follows: “Model: In this report, I use a model to talk about the relationship between variables.”
- Or you can choose the format: “ Model – In this report, I use models to talk about relationships between variables.”
Step 4. Place the glossary before or after the main text
When you're done formatting, place the glossary before or after the main text. Make sure the glossary is listed in the table of contents of the article with the title “Glossary” with page numbers.
- If you have additional content, such as a “List of Abbreviations,” the glossary is generally placed after this list at the very end of the article.
- If you are creating a glossary for academic articles, your teacher may suggest specific positions.
- If you are creating a glossary for a work to be published, ask the editor where you should put the glossary. You can also look at other published works and note the position of the glossary.
