Method and system for archiving and retrieving bibliography information and reference material

Abstract

A manuscript author uses a website on the Internet as a manuscript reference. The author transmits the address of the website to a database connected to the Internet. The database uses the address to obtain a copy of the website from the Internet upon receiving the address such that the website copy is the same as the website as on the Internet at the time the author transmitted the address. The database stores the website copy with a key. The author lists the key in the manuscript. An audience obtains the key from the manuscript and transmits a request for the website copy along with the key to the database. The database transmits via the Internet the website copy to the audience in response to the request such that the audience receives a website copy as on the Internet at the time the author transmitted the address.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 711,791, filed Nov. 13, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. ______.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to publishing and, more particularly, to a method and system for using a communications network such as the Internet to archive and retrieve bibliography information and reference material cited in a manuscript. [0004] 2. Background Art [0005] Authors of manuscripts and documents such as books and research papers frequently cite material such as articles and other books in bibliography section. The bibliography section is usually attached to the end of a manuscript. (The terms “Works Cited” and “References” mean the same. Each is a list of works that have been cited by an author, or works to which an author has made a reference. However, the term “Bibliography” stands for a list of all the material an author ha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0031] The advantages associated with the method and system of the present invention are numerous. The method and system of the present invention advantageously fill the deficiency associated with conventional bibliographic processes by identifying traditionally non-verifiable reference material cited in a manuscript with a distinctive key and then archiving a copy of the reference material on a database connected to a communications network such as the Internet. The audience of the manuscript may then access the reference material from the database by using the distinctive key for review and verification of the reference material. As a result, the method and system of the present invention protect the cited information from continuous modification and removal of the reference material by providing an avenue for the audience to gain access to an exact copy of the reference material cited by the author of the manuscript. Further, the method and system of the present invention provide a means of verification of the reference material.

Problems solved by technology

A problem with citing websites as sources of information is that 1) websites are subject to frequent, invisible modifications and 2) may be moved to a new address or removed from the Internet without notice.

Moreover, material from a website once accessible to everyone may now be limited to a select audience.

The problem with citing a website is that the fluid, ever modifiable potential of the content of the website does not guarantee availability and true verification of the material actually used by the author.

Further, information given out by interacting members of news groups (another Internet source) and through personal communication methods such as e-mails that are cited by an author as references cannot be verified by a third party unless the information is reproduced verbatim by the author in the content of the manuscript or in the bibliography section.

However, the problem of the inability to review / verify such material also ails these sources.

While traditional publishers generally act as authenticators for the material printed and circulated by them there exists no credibility checking service or protocol for information available over the Internet.

So, while it can be considered safe to look up and use content published in a magazine or journal, which are thus authenticated, it might be risky to use content from most web sites (that don't have any means of authentication) in a manuscript.

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