Cross Reference

Cross Reference

What is it and how is it used?

Definition

•A reference from one part of a book, index, catalog, or file to another part containing related information.

•A cross-reference (noun) is an instance within a document which refers to related or synonymous information elsewhere, usually within the same work. To cross-reference or to cross-refer (verb) is to make such connections. The term "cross-reference" is often abbreviated as x-ref, xref, or, in computer science, XR.

 

Usage/ Purpose

 

NB. Cross-referencing is usually employed to either:

1.  verify claims made by an author or to

2.  link to another piece of work that is of related interest.

 In an index, a cross reference is often denoted by See Also or see. For example, under the term Albert Einstein in the index of a book about Nobel Laureates, there may be the cross-reference See Also: Einstein, Albert.

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