RDA 4.5

RDA 4.5: 300 field (Physical Description)

Extent

This table lists extent abbreviations that will be expanded in the 300 $a:

Abbreviated	Expanded	Abbreviated	Expanded
approx.	approximately	lvs.	leaves
ca.	approximately	numb.	numbered
cov.	cover	obl.	oblong
dia.	diameter	p.	page (singular)
diagr.	diagram	p.	pages (plural)
diagrs.	diagrams	p.l.	preliminary leaves
fig.	figures	pent.	pentagram
fold.	folded	pp.	pages
front.	frontispiece	unnum.	unnumbered
frontis.	frontispiece	unp.	unpaged
fronts.	frontispiece	v.	volume (singular)
ill.	illustrations	v.	volumes (plural)
illus.	illustrations	vol.	volume (singular)
irr.	irregular	vol.	volumes (plural)
l.	leaf (singular)	vols.	volumes
l.	leaves (plural)

Some additional changes that are made to the 300 $a include the following:

• A number followed by brackets with i.e. will be changed to 'that is':
  • 48 [i.e. 52] p. becomes 48, that is 52, pages.

• Brackets around a number will be changed to 'unnumbered':
  • [16] p. becomes 16 unnumbered pages.

Other physical details

Abbreviations within the 300 $b (other physical details) that will be expanded include the following:

Abbreviated	Expanded	Abbreviated	Expanded
b&w	black & white	ill.	illustrations
col.	color	illus.	illustrations
diagr.	diagram	incl.	including
diagrs.	diagrams	l.	leaves
fac.	facsimiles	phot.	photographs
facs.	facsimiles	photo.	photographs
facsim.	facsimiles	port.	portrait
facsims.	facsimiles	ports.	portraits
fig.	figures	sam.	samples
fold.	folded	samp.	samples
front.	frontispiece	sd.	sound
gen.	genealogical	si.	silent
geneal.	genealogical	snd.	sound
		tab.	tables

Dimensions

Many abbreviations are still allowed in the dimensions subfield (300 $c). For instance, 'cm.' and 'in.' are still authorized to represent centimeters and inches. However (for continuity), the following table lists the abbreviations that will change in the 300 $c:

Abbreviated	Expanded	Abbreviated	Expanded
ca.	approximately	inches	in.
cov.	cover	irr.	irregular
dia.	diameter	lvs.	leaves
feet	ft.	numb.	numbered
fol.	folio	obl.	oblong
fold.	folded	p.	pages
foot	ft.	pent.	pentagram
inch	in.	pp.	pages
		unnum.	unnumbered

 
 original fields:
    300 $a 300 p. : $b ill. ; $c 4to.
    300 $a [unp.] : $b ill. (some col.) ; $c 6 in.
    300 $a 3 v. : $b facsims., ports. ; $c 24 x 36 cm.
    300 $a 3 p.l., ca. 245 pp. : $b geneal. tables ; $c fol.
    300 $a 92 [i.e. 96] pp. : $b sd., col. ; $c 24mo.
    300 $a [16] p. of plates : $b col. illus. ; $c 12mo.
  
 updated fields:
    300 $a 300 pages : $b illustrations ; $c 4to.
    300 $a [unpaged] : $b illustrations (some color) ; $c 6 in.
    300 $a 3 volumes : $b facsimiles, portraits ; $c 24 x 36 cm.
    300 $a 3 preliminary leaves, approximately 245 pages : $b genealogical tables ; $c folio.
    300 $a 92, that is 96, pages : $b sound, color ; $c 24mo.
    300 $a 16 unnumbered pages of plates : $b color illustrations ; $c 12mo.

SMD Update Table

MARS 2.0 can update the following AACR2 terms to their RDA equivalent:

AACR2 Term	RDA Term
quad.	Quadraphonic
transparency	overhead transparency
computer disk	computer disc
computer optical disc	computer disc

Default

Make all physical description updates in 300 field.

links

4.1 - 4.2 - 4.3 - 4.4 - 4.5 - 4.6 - 4.7

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