The common term for the process of glycolysis is anaerobic respiration. Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing ATP as an energy source. This process occurs in the cytoplasm of cells and does not require oxygen, making it a crucial energy-producing pathway for organisms under anaerobic conditions. Glycolysis is the first step of cellular respiration, leading to subsequent aerobic or anaerobic pathways for further energy production.