Choosing the best medical dictionary involves considering factors such as cost, size, number of terms covered, clarity of images, and type of access. Look for extras like online access and compatibility with your computer. Check how the dictionary treats example terms and how it displays photographs.
A medical dictionary is a specialized reference book containing definitions and images related to medical conditions. Educational programs, publishers, and other institutions dealing with health-related fields often have a favorite dictionary that they recommend or even require others at that institution to use. In many cases, though, places that require the use of a medical dictionary don’t have a specific one in mind. To choose the best medical dictionary for your purposes, you need to look into everything from the clarity of the images to the type of access, such as online and mobile, that you get when you buy the dictionary.
Part of choosing the best medical dictionary is the same as choosing any dictionary. Look at the cost and size, as well as the overall number of terms covered by the dictionary. This should be listed on the cover, or if you’re looking at a used dictionary that lacks a dust jacket, you should be able to find the number in an introduction or preface. Also check the edition number, as newer editions will have more up-to-date terms. See how easy it is to turn pages and read the text.
Medical dictionaries often come bundled with extras such as online access, separate drug reference books, and medical spell checker plug-ins. Take a look at what each publisher is offering, and how much more the package deals are compared to the cost of just the dictionary itself. Also check that any online logins and electronic integrations are compatible with your computer’s operating system and browser. The publisher may also offer additional variations of the dictionary that are geared towards specific fields within medicine, such as nursing.
If the medical dictionary isn’t wrapped in plastic, look up example terms specific to your field and see how the dictionary treats them. Make sure your definitions are as accurate and detailed as you want. It also controls how words with common prefixes are displayed, as they are sometimes separated from the rest of the definitions and placed in a sidebar or box.
Medical dictionaries are notorious for detailed photographs that can disgust even the hardiest reader, and in some cases the sheer number of photographs can be a turn off. If you’re particularly sensitive to pictures of diseased body parts and surgical procedures, you need to find a dictionary that puts no more than one photograph on any two-page interval. This allows you to cover the photo with your hand as you seek out the definition you need. Eventually you will become desensitized to photographs, but until then, choose a medical dictionary that features no more than one image at a time.
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