| Reference |
Index for Reference |
Website Links For Reference |
Information AboutReference |
|
In general, a reference is something that refers to or designates something else, or acts as a Connection or a link between two things. The objects it links may be concrete, such as books or locations, or abstract, such as Data , thoughts, or memories. The object which is named by a reference, or to which the reference points, is the '''referent'''. The term reference is used with different specialized meanings in a variety of fields, as follows: Semantics In Semantics , reference is generally construed as the relation between Noun s or Pronouns and objects that are named by them. Hence the word "John" ''refers'' to John; the word "it" refers to some previously specified object. The objects referred to are called the "referents" of the word. Sometimes the word-object relation is called " Denotation "; the ''referent'' denotes the object. Reference is not in general the same as meaning, as words can often be meaningful without having a referent. Fictional and mythological names such as "Bo-Peep" and "Hercules" show that this is possible. As " (an ancient Greek name for the evening star) and " Phosphorus " (an ancient Greek name for the morning star) both refer to Venus , but the astronomical fact that '"Hesperos" is "Phosphorus"' can still be informative, even if the 'meanings' of both "Hesperos" and "Phosphorus" are already known. This problem led Frege to distinguish between the Sense of a word and its reference. Art In Art , a reference is an item from which a work is based. This may include an existing artwork, a reproduced (i.e. photo) or directly observed (i.e. person) object, or the artist's memory. Computer science : ''Main article: Reference (computer Science) '' In Computer Science , Reference s are Datatype s which refer to an object elsewhere in memory, and are used to construct a wide variety of Data Structure s such as Linked List s. Most Programming Language s support some form of reference. The C++ programming language has a specific type of reference also referred to as a ''reference''; see Reference (C++) . Geometry A reference point is a location used to describe another one, by giving the relative position. Similarly we have the concept of Frame Of Reference (both in physics and figuratively), Benchmark (in surveying and figuratively), etc. Libraries In a Library , the word ''reference'' may refer to a Dictionary , Encyclopedia , or other Reference Work that contains many brief articles that cover a broad scope of knowledge in one book, or a set of books. However, the word ''reference'' is also used to mean a book that cannot be taken from the room, or from the building. Many of the books in the ''reference department'' of a library are reference works, but some are books that are simply too large or valuable to loan out. Conversely, selected reference works may be shelved with other Circulating books, and may be loaned out. References to any type of printed matter come in electronic or at least machine-readable form nowadays. For books there exists the ISBN , for journal articles, the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is gaining relevance. Printed information on the Internet is usually referred to by some kind of Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). Scholarship In scholarship, a reference may be a Citation of a text that has been used in the creation of a piece of work such as an essay, report, or oration. Its primary purpose is to allow people who receive such work to examine the author's sources, either for Valid ity, or simply to learn more about the subject. Such items are often listed at the end of an article or book in a Bibliography (reference list). Copying of copyrighted material without required permisions amounts to 'plagiarism'. Personal references In the Labour Market , a reference is a letter to a prospective employer regarding a job applicant's characteristics. Usually the person providing the reference - the referee - is a Previous Boss , or someone of some distinction in Government , the Clergy , or Education , who can personally vouch for the applicant's employability. Canadian law A Reference is a procedure through which the government of Canada can submit legal questions to the Supreme Court Of Canada . The Court will consider the question and publish an opinion which is treated as binding in law. See also |