Abstract
This article discusses the basic requirements for object documentation by summarizing Abell-Seddon's Museum Catalogues: A Foundation for Computer Processing (London, Clive Bingley, 1988, 224p.), centering on the first five chapters of this book.
The first chapter of the book deals with the characteristics of cataloguing at museums, and what problems it presents. Chapters Two and Three discuss the kinds of records used in object documentation through comparing the textual and structured records, stressing that structurization is crucial. Chapter Four covers the need for vocabulary management and presents an algorhithm for selecting the vocabulary. In Chapter Five, the problems in the conventions concerning syntax, dating, personal names, keywords, punctuation, and abbreviation and codes are discussed.
