This comprehensive collection of abbreviations will be continued with further editions in special subject fields and areas of society. Series A contains Politics, History and the Social Sciences. It comprises approximately 68,000 entries in two parts. This special edition is an essential tool for the daily work of special translators and librarians in science and technology.

Nowhere are the neologisms coined more quickly or the technical vocabulary expanding at a faster rate than in the fields of science, engineering and technology. Following the systematic evaluation of international specialist publications, the editors of this Encyclopedia have compiled, defined and alphabetically listed approximately 800,000 abbreviations. Included in the 17 volumes are two supplementary and seven reverse volumes.