Genuine learning comes with a lot of uncomfortable situations to grow and obtain knowledge, which perhaps is a common struggle among university and ESL students especially. In writing papers and requirements, most students turn to the dictionary and thesaurus for help.

However, in the digital age, there are many other academic tools online that can be of really great use if students just learn where to find and how to maximize it — just like the Glossary of the Social Sciences by Frank W. Elwell of Rogers State University. Read further to learn more about this glossary and its usefulness for university and ESL students:

What Is a Glossary?

A glossary is an alphabetized list of various terms (words, acronyms, abbreviations, and more) connected to a particular topic being discussed in the academic piece of literature, with concrete definitions and explanations related to the context of the text.

These literature portions are beneficial because it allows students to understand the full conditions, history, and circumstances of a particular term used in the piece.

The Glossary of Social Sciences by Frank W. Elwell

Frank W. Elwell believes that you must first master its vocabulary in order to learn a discipline truly. This led him to create the Glossary of the Social Sciences in 1996 to help students studying sociology, social theory, social problems, cultural ecology, etc. to master the vocabulary used not only in his own classes but also in other works of sociology.

This online glossary first became accessible online at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, followed by Murray State University, and finally at the Rogers State University One Net site since 2000.

What Is Social Science?

In case you might not know, Social science is any discipline or branch of science that deals with human behavior in its social and cultural aspects, including cultural (or social) anthropology, sociology, social psychology, political science, and economics.

Generally, Social Science focuses on the relationships among individuals in society, which is crucial because it helps us gain knowledge of the community we live in.

Why Should University & ESL Students Read It?

For most ESL students, understanding language in a social science context can be taxing, especially if the term is rare and unfamiliar in general.

This is why glossaries are ultimately helpful, be it in books or online resources, because it allows ESL students, in particular, to use glossaries as a dictionary for them to reference throughout their reading, and to adapt and be exposed to words used in several contexts or circumstances.

It is also worth noting that the Glossary of the Social Sciences was also modified familiar to Marvin Harris’s cultural materialism to make its terms and definitions more fit with sociological concepts and theory.

Furthermore, this glossary isn’t just a copy of somebody else’s definition. It is the combination of Elwell’s own understanding from various texts, dictionaries, and glossaries in the social sciences, forming his own definition.

Is the Glossary Outdated?

This site continues to be updated every time there’s a new term he encounters or when there’s something he missed in the past as well, which means that you don’t have to worry about ending up learning outdated terms in the future.

Final Thoughts

With regard to utilizing glossaries, there are many tips and tricks to make mastering terms and definitions much easier for both University and ESL students. The usefulness of glossaries will always depend on the person and the various strategies being taken to absorb and digest as much information as effectively as possible.

Without proper mind and eye coordination, its utility would not be as helpful as other helpful literature in academic writing.

Need to learn more about translations? Read ”What Are Apostille, Certified, and Notarized Translations?” to learn more.