Of the 40,000 entries, approximately 3,600 are new additions, and 13,000 entries have been updated, providing the most comprehensive set of geological terms in publication. Many definitions include a syllabification guide and background information, as well as helpful resources for a variety of problems, such as look-alike pairs; for example, the difference between sylvanite (a mineral) and sylvinite (a rock). The reference also indicates the origins of terms, the meaning of abbreviations and acronyms common in geoscience vocabulary, dates of first recorded usage of a term, prefix meanings, as well as the preferred term of two or more synonyms.
The authority of the fifth edition, like those before it, rests on the expertise of geoscientists from many specialties who have added new terms, reviewed definitions and cited references using those terms. Their contributions make the Glossary of Geology an essential reference work for everyone who works in or with geoscience information.
The fifth edition of the Glossary of Geology (ISBN#: 922152-76-4) is a 779-page hardcover text, available now. List price is $99.95, $79.95 for AGI Member Society Members. Please add an additional $13.25 for postage and handling costs in the contiguous United States. Orders to addresses in Maryland and Virginia are subject to sales tax. All orders must be prepaid. Please make your check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank in funds payable to the American Geological Institute. AGI also accepts VISA and MasterCard. Orders are sent by UPS Standard Service, and take two to three weeks for delivery. To determine overseas shipping costs, obtain additional information, or to order, contact the AGI Publications Department at www.agiweb.org/pubs, or by mail, telephone, fax or email to pubs@agiweb.org.
The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 43 scientific and professional associations that represent more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources and interaction with the environment. More information about AGI can be found at .