Folklore Studies  Tags: folklore folklore_guide folklore_studies  

Motif-Index CD-ROM

The Motif-Index CD-ROM is a useful tool in analyzing folktales. It is available in Library West's ready reference section on the Third Floor. Accompanying the CD is a guide book containing more detailed descriptions on program commands.

• To access the program, first insert the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. A window opens with a list of the files located on the CD. In order to open the program, click on the Motif Dos icon (the program uses Dos). A new window will open showing the program in Dos form. Then, click on any key to start using the Motif-Index.

Some technical jargon:

• In order to browse through the link tokens, use Tab & Tab+Shift.
• The program uses characters called Folio Markers (►). These are symbols used to mark the beginning of folios.
• Other characters used are Link Tokens (▼). Link tokens link footnotes with the text, table of contents entries, and cross-references.

• Within the program, the text is divided into segments called folios. Main entries and cross-references appear in separate folios. The program allows you to search either the main entries, or the cross-references based on your need.
• Hypertext links are included within the text. They link several categories of information: main entry numbers are linked to relevant main entries, cross-reference and index entry numbers link with the main entry, synopses entry number ranges  are linked with the appropriate entry number range, and entry numbers to the proper section synopsis.

• Main entries are grouped together and are named |main entry|. In order to search any term, join |main entry| to the word; for example, |main entry| good finds all of the main entries with the word good. If you wish to enter a group name, it must be placed within vertical bars (||). The vertical bar key can be found on the keyboard just above the Enter key.
• Cross-references are formed into groups with the name |xref|. These groups are formed for every letter classification (Ex. |a|, |b|, |c|, etc...), and they contain all the entries and cross-references of that section; for example, |a| |xref| finds the cross-references of the "a" section.
• Other groups have been created as well: bibliography (|bibliography|), index (|index|), and introduction (|introduction|).
  

• Hypertext links occur before main entries. In order to access them, place your cursor on the link and press Enter to initiate a new window which contains folios with the main entry numbers. By following the link, a new window appears with other main entries where the entry numbers, cross-references, or index entries are shown.
• If the link leads you to a cross-reference, place your cursor within the cross-reference text and press Enter. A new window opens with the complete database; the cursor then appears in the cross-reference text. The previous paragraph will become the main entry for the cross-reference.
• Every cross-reference entry number has a hypertext link next to it. By placing the cursor on the link and pressing Enter, you will be taken to a new window that contains both the main entry and any existing sets of cross-references.
• Links also appear in the general and detailed synopses which lead to windows with ranges of text. Thus, a link next to ▼ B0-B99 conveys you to a window with all the text, between entries B0 and B99, that appears in the printed edition. Within the detailed synopses, individual entry numbers lead to main entries for that number only. Ranges appearing in the text have links that only lead to the first and the last entry number within the range.
• Links appear on each reference line of a main entry and cross-reference. They are preceded by the word "synopsis," to indicate that the link leads to the section's detailed synopsis. If the cursor is in the text of a main entry of section Q, a link then appears on the reference line which will direct you to the detailed synopsis of section Q. Reference lines may be placed in or pulled out of the text by accessing the Options menu, where you activate the references option, or by pressing Ctrl-R. The reference lines need to be placed in the text in order to access the link leading to the detailed synopsis of the section. Links precede each index entry. By following the links, you will be directed to every segment of text that contains the index word or phrase.