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September 2010 Update
New Content
In this update we are expanding Oxford Reference Online’s arts content, its information on countries of the world, and on ecology, and offer brand new OUP
content dedicated to the mysteries of consciousness, to the world of allusions and references, and to the rapidly-growing field of biomedicine. With four new
titles – Oxford Companion to Theatre and Performance, The Oxford Companion to Consciousness, Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion and
A Dictionary of Biomedicine – and four new editions – The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, The Oxford Dictionary of Dance, A Dictionary of Ecology,
and A Guide to Countries of the World, as well as an exclusive online-only new edition of A Dictionary of Writers and their Works – plus thousands of other
updated entries throughout the site, this update is packed full of fascinating information and useful reference material.
New MARC records: Now available to download is a complete set of comprehensive new MARC records. These
are generated by Bibliographic Data Services, experts in creation and supply of MARC records, and are compliant with NACO and SACO, and LoC guidelines for
MARC for updating databases, and contain LoC and Dewey call numbers, in MARC21 format with MARC8 character encoding.
Premium Collection
NEW TITLES
The Oxford Companion to Theatre and Performance, by Dennis Kennedy
Over 2,400 entries
This Oxford Companion is based on the celebrated Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance, and covers styles and movements, organizations, regions and traditions; it has a particularly strong focus on biographies of actors, playwrights, directors, and designers. New entries cover the people and companies who have come into prominence since the publication of the Encyclopedia.
The Companion includes all the most popular and accessible information from the Encyclopedia, concentrating primarily on the personalities involved in producing theatre, as well as overviews of the genres within which they work. It has 2,400 entries presented in a far more compact and portable format. The timeline of historical and cultural events in the world of theatre and performance has been significantly updated, along with the extensive bibliography.
The Companion provides an informative and accessible package aimed at both the theatre-going public and at specialists and professionals in the field.
Dennis Kennedy is Beckett Professor of Drama Emeritus at Trinity College, Dublin. His books include The Spectator and the Spectacle (2009), Looking at Shakespeare: a visual history of twentieth-century performance (1993, 2001), and Shakespeare in Asia (2010). He is also a professional director and playwright.
The Oxford Companion to Consciousness, by Tim Bayne, Axel Cleeremans, and Patrick Wilken
Over 250 entries
Consciousness is undoubtedly one of the last remaining scientific mysteries and hence one of the greatest contemporary scientific challenges. How does the brain's activity result in the rich phenomenology that characterizes our waking life? Are animals conscious? Can we define what consciousness is? Can we measure it? Can we use experimental results to further our understanding of disorders of consciousness, such as those seen in schizophrenia, delirium, or altered states of consciousness?
These questions are at the heart of contemporary research in the domain. Answering them requires a fundamentally interdisciplinary approach that engages not only philosophers, but also neuroscientists and psychologists in a joint effort to develop novel approaches that reflect both the stunning recent advances in imaging methods as well as the continuing refinement of our concepts of consciousness.
In this light, The Oxford Companion to Consciousness is the most complete authoritative survey of contemporary research on consciousness. Structured as an easy-to-use dictionary and extensively cross-referenced, the Companion offers contributions from philosophy of mind to neuroscience, from experimental psychology to clinical findings, so reflecting the profoundly interdisciplinary nature of the domain. This is a unique compendium that will prove indispensable to anyone interested in consciousness, from beginning students wishing to clarify a concept to professional consciousness researchers looking for the best characterization of a particular phenomenon.
The Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion, by Andrew Delahunty and Sheila Dignen
Over 1,900 entries
Allusions form a colourful extension to the English language, drawing on our collective knowledge of literature, mythology, and the Bible to give us a literary shorthand for describing people, places, and events. So a cunning crook is an Artful Dodger, a daydreamer is like Billy Liar, a powerful woman is a modern-day Amazon.
This absorbing and accessible A-Z explains the meanings of allusions in modern English. Fascinating to browse through, the book is based on an extensive reading programme that has identified the most commonly-used allusions. For the third edition all entries have been reviewed, revised, and thoroughly updated to ensure the consistency of coverage of allusions and references. New to this edition is the inclusion within each entry of a short summary definition for the allusion or reference, ideal for quick reference, and at least one illustrative citation from a wide range of source materials in almost every entry.
The Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion is both a useful and user-friendly reference work for students of English Literature and Language, as well as for non-native English speakers for aid with unusual references, and an absorbing volume for all lovers of literature and culture in general.
Andrew Delahunty and Sheila Dingen are freelance lexicographers with many years' experience in writing dictionaries and other reference works. They have worked on a wide range of books including dictionaries for adults, children, and ELT.
A Dictionary of Biomedicine, by John Lackie
Over 9,600 entries
This brand new Dictionary of Biomedicine includes A-Z entries on all areas of biomedicine. Entries are authoritative and wide-ranging, covering terms from the related areas of anatomy, genetics, molecular bioscience, pathology, pharmacology, and clinical medicine.
Biomedicine – the study of molecular bioscience relating to disease – is playing an increasingly important role in medical application, diagnosis, and treatment. As molecular bioscience provides greater insights and techniques than ever before into the practice of modern medicine, there is an increasing need for an affordable dictionary covering the specialist language used within this evolving field. This dictionary fills this need by offering clear, concise definitions of even the most complex biomedical terms.
Dr John Lackie was formerly Senior Lecturer in Cell Biology at the University of Glasgow, then Director and Director of Research at the Yamanouchi Research Institute, Oxford, then Principal and CEO of the Westlakes Research Institute in Cumbria before setting up an independent consultancy company, Plumbland Consulting Ltd.
NEW EDITIONS
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, by Michael Clarke
Second editon
Over 1,900 entries
The Concise Dictionary of Art Terms is an accessible and useful A-Z covering a wide range of terms from the visual art world, including materials, techniques, and important styles and periods.
In this new edition, the text has been fully revised and updated to reflect the latest developments in the field. It has also been expanded with more than 100 brand new entries, focusing primarily on modern and contemporary art materials and techniques.
From abstract art to woodcuts, and the Baroque Revival to ziggurats, this highly readable dictionary is the ideal reference source for students of Art and all related subjects, for gallery visitors, and for all people interested in the visual arts.
Michael Clarke is Director of the National Gallery of Scotland, and was awarded the CBE in 2009. His books include The Tempting Prospect: A Social History of English Watercolours (British Museum Press).
The Oxford Dictionary of Dance
, by Debra Craine and Judith Mackrell
Over 2,700 entries
'A must-have volume', The Times
The second edition of this dictionary is a unique single volume reference on all aspects of dance performance. The work covers all aspects of the diverse dance world from classical ballet to modern, from flamenco to hip-hop, from tap to South Asian dance forms and includes detailed entries on technical terms, steps, styles, works, and countries, in addition to many biographies of dancers, choreographers, and companies.
Fans today are likely to attend performances as varied as Indian bharata natyam, Japanese butoh, and post-modern dance. With an emphasis on performance - the dance we see in our theatres today - readers will find both fact and analysis on a wide range of subjects.
With 150 new entries, this new edition charts developments that have occurred over the last ten years, including the rise of new digital technology in the creation and staging of dance and the move to the mainstream of formerly fringe genres such as hip-hop, as well as the arrival of a new generation of dancers and choreographers to the scene.
Debra Craine is chief Dance critic of The Times.
Judith Mackrell is chief Dance critic of The Guardian.
A Dictionary of Ecology
, by Michael Allaby
Fourth edition
Over 6,000 entries
'Make sure you have an Allaby handy', Nature
This is the fourth edition of the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of ecology available. Written in a clear, accessible style, it contains over 6,000 entries on all aspects of ecology and related environmental scientific disciplines such as biogeography, genetics, soil science, geomorphology, atmospheric science, and oceanography. Coverage is wide-ranging and includes plant and animal physiology, animal behaviour, pollution, conservation, habitat management, population, evolution, environmental pollution, climatology and meteorology. It also includes many line drawings and useful appendices including estimations of population parameters, the geologic time-scale, and SI units.
Fully revised, updated, and expanded, with over 100 new entries, this new edition is invaluable to students of ecology, biology, conservation studies, environmental sciences, and professionals in related areas, as well as the general reader with an interest in the natural world.
Michael Allaby has written many books on environmental science, including the Encyclopedia of Weather and Climate and the Climate Handbook. He is the general editor of the Oxford dictionaries of Ecology, Zoology, and Plant Sciences, and author of A Dictionary of Earth Sciences.
A Dictionary of Writers and their Works, first edition by Michael Cox; second edition by Christopher Riches
Over 3,200 entries
An essential guide to authors and their works that focuses on the general canon of British literature from the fifteenth-century to the present. There is also some coverage of non-fiction such as biographies, memoirs, and science, as well as inclusion of major American and Commonwealth writers.
This online-exclusive new edition adds 63,000 new words to the original text, including over 100 new entries dealing with authors who have risen to prominence in the last ten years, as well as fully updating the entries that currently exist. There are over 3,200 entries for writers in total with their nationality and birth/death dates, followed by a listing of their titles arranged chronologically by date of publication.
A Guide to Countries of the World
, by Peter Stalker
Third edition
This invaluable global handbook provides a wealth of information for every country in the world. Each entry gives a brief history and outlines contemporary social, economic, political and religious issues. In addition, for each country there is a clear map and a quick-reference fact box containing data and statistics including languages, population, GDP, capital city, life expectancy, and more. Invaluable supplementary material includes detailed indicator tables showing income and poverty, health and population etc, and list of international organizations, such as the EU and the African Union, with essential information about these groupings.
Revised and fully up to date with the latest key facts, this accessible guide is ideal for students and teachers of geography, politics, economics, world religions, and world history at all levels, as well as anyone wanting a home reference book to accompany an atlas.
Peter Stalker is a writer, based in Oxford, who works as a consultant to many UN agencies. His website is at www.pstalker.com.
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