Tagging Entries
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General Guidelines
What to do when it is not clear which label to assign to a title because more than one label seems appropriate? Bear in mind that GWonline is a search tool; the aim of tagging entries is not to find the one, ideal label that perfectly covers a title’s content or character. The aim is to enable users to find what they are looking for. This means that if a title potentially fits into two or more categories you should assign more labels, but in doing so keep in mind that the aim of using the bibliography is to make a selection. Adding too many labels can be counter-productive, so please consider carefully whether it is necessary to assign more than one label and whether it will help the user to find what s/he is looking for.
Time Periods
The time periods correspond with the time periods around which the handbook is organized. They each represent a key period in the history of modes of warfare and military culture. Please note that most labels have been defined in terms of decades (1600s, 1940s). This expresses the awareness that the periods cannot be strictly separated: the origins of some transformations date back to earlier periods, the effects of others make themselves felt in later periods. Keep this in mind when assigning labels. But be careful here: bear in mind the general rule that having too many labels might run against the aim of a bibliography.
Titles on the period 1600s-1830s will usually get two labels; one for the entire period, and one for a sub-period ("1600-1775," "1775-1830"). If a title deals with the entire period it just gets the label "1600s-1830s."
"1910s-1940s" refers to the period of the two worlds wars, 1914-1945, whereas "1830s-1910s" refers to the period up to World War I, and "1940s-present" to the post-war period. Books about the making or origins of World War I should come under "1830s-1910s" and "1910s-1940s"; and a book that looks at World War II and its legacies should be listed under "1910s-1940s" and "1940s-present."
Use ‘Long-term’ only for those books that deal with the entire (or almost the entire) time period covered by the handbook.
Regions and Countries
Titles will usually get two labels for region; one for the continent, and one for a part of that continent ("Africa" and "North Africa"). Titles that deal with an entire continent get just one label ("Europe").
What do you do if a title deals with two or more regions or countries? A book on the Napoleonic Armies and the Haitian revolution is about both France and Haiti. It should get both labels (and the appropriate labels for the larger regions). In situations where titles deal with multiple regions, consider whether you should add the label "transatlantic connections" or "global connections." In the case of the book about Haiti "transatlantic connections" is appropriate, as it deals with the links between the two regions crossing the Atlantic. In case of a title that compares, but does not connect two or more regions, however, this label is not relevant. Note that "transatlantic connections" and "global connections" may also be used independently, i.e. without a label for a specific region.
PLEASE NOTE: If a country is missing, send an email to the project coordinator and director, the coordinator will add country name to the list.
Types of Literature:
- Anthology – refers to an edited collection of essays;
- Autobiographical account – refers to a self-authored account of one’s own life; we have created a collection focusing especially on autobiographies written by women that focus on their war experiences in military and war.
- Bibliographies – refers to a book that lists literature on a particular topic;
- Biographies – refers to an account of a life of a person;
- Book Chapter – refers to a chapter in an edited collection of essays;
- Exhibition Catalogues – refers to an edited collection published on the occasion of a major exhibition;
- Journal Articles – refers to an article published in a journal;
- Monograph – refers to a book on a historical subject, based on one’s own research (for example a dissertation or a habilitation), usually written by a single author.
- Textbooks/Surveys – refers to a book that offers a general introduction to a topic, written for a more general audience and usually not based on research using primary sources;
- Primary Source Collections – refers to an edition of historical documents produced during a certain time period.
Assistants are kindly asked to send all questions, comments and suggestions to the project coordinator and director. We will address them asap.
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