PUBLICATIONS - Preparation of bibliographies for publication in the formal series of Survey reports


                                             May 2, 1960

QUALITY OF WATER BRANCH MEMORANDUM NO. 60.39

To:       District Chiefs and Staff Officials
          Quality of Water Branch

From:     Chief, Quality of Water Branch

Subject:  PUBLICATIONS - Preparation of bibliographies for
          publication in the formal series of Survey reports

The preparation and release of extensive bibliographies and
literature searches in the formal Survey series should be
considered carefully in the planning of project studies.  For
example, it is becoming a common practice for project leaders 
to plan the release of comprehensive bibliographies as the 
first chapter of a water supply paper under a series title.

In some instances the publication of the bibliography is
essential to successful completion of the project.  This is 
true of such studies as the strontium project where little 
published information on laboratory methods and techniques 
are available, and it is of national importance that the 
Survey, as a leader in the field of water quality, summarize 
the literature and publish the significant findings.  On the 
other hand, other literature surveys have appeared unduly 
detailed, and this practice has resulted in some delay in 
review and publication as well as relatively high cost of 
publication.  As an example of how we might approach this 
subject we refer to a report, "Residue method for common 
minor elements," by Joseph Haffty, which is being published 
as Chapter A, Water-Supply Paper 1454, under the general 
series title, "Spectrographic analysis of natural water."
Only a very brief bibliography specific to the subject,
consisting of about one manuscript page, appears at the end 
of the chapter.  This is an effective way in which to handle 
such material.

There are so many indexes to the literature, such as Chemical
Abstracts and ASTM "Index to the literature on 
spectrochemical analysis" released periodically, that we 
should be very careful not to republish such material in the 
Survey series.  References to such indexes should be 
sufficient.

                                   (signed)
                                   W. H. Durum
                                   For the Branch Chief

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