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Session 9: Subject Analysis

Session 9: Subject Analysis. Fundamental concepts and rules of subject analysis Keywords vs. controlled vocabularies How do librarians add controlled vocabulary to bibliographic records? Characteristics of LCSH Building subject headings Subject heading tools. Haykin’s Fundamental Concepts.

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Session 9: Subject Analysis

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  1. Session 9: Subject Analysis • Fundamental concepts and rules of subject analysis • Keywords vs. controlled vocabularies • How do librarians add controlled vocabulary to bibliographic records? • Characteristics of LCSH • Building subject headings • Subject heading tools

  2. Haykin’s Fundamental Concepts • Your patron is the focus • Unity (1 primary heading or 1 call number for all material on that subject) • Usage (heading is common usage for reader) • English vs. foreign terms—prefer English • Specificity—be as specific as possible

  3. Sayers’ Classification Rules • Place book where it will be most useful (i.e., analyze your user) • Class by subject, then form • Consider predominant tendency/ purpose of book (i.e., the subject concerned, rather than the audience aimed at. Example: chemistry for pre-med)

  4. Sayers, cont’d • Be as specific as possible (=close classification) • If no number or subject exists as yet, put where closest • If 2-3 subjects, classify under dominant & cover others with subject headings; if more than 3, classify under general heading covering all • Class 1 subject applied to another with the subject to which application is made, e.g., Math for accounting

  5. Sayers, cont’d • Classify pro & con books together—be honest towards the author’s intent • Avoid classification that implies criticism—describe, don’t judge • Always have reasons for decisions • Document your decisions • CHECK SUBJECT/CALL NUMBER IN USE IN YOUR CATALOG. CONSISTENT CATALOGING MAKES FOR A COHERENT CATALOG

  6. Keywords vs. Controlled Vocabularies • Keyword = retrieves term located almost anywhere in bibliographic record, e.g., title, note, subjects, authors, other titles, series [post-coordination] • Controlled vocabulary = retrieves in a subject search the defined, related, chosen terms added to bibliographic record as subject headings [pre-coordination]

  7. Keyword • Keyword relies on post-coordinated combinations of individual terms—if user can’t think of synonyms, a lot will be missed • Keyword doesn’t allow for different meanings for same terms—looks for word, not context • Keyword retrieves jumble of info, some relevant & some completely not L BUT • Keyword can retrieve new, distinctive terms not included in controlled vocabularies yet • Keyword results can be narrowed with proximity or other qualifiers

  8. Search by Keyword “stress” • With no further qualification, you could retrieve items on • psychology • engineering • linguistics • botany • etc.

  9. Controlled Vocabulary • Authorized terms distinguish different meanings of identical words • Pre-coordinated subject strings add hierarchy & relevance to search • Browse displays of pre-coordinated subject strings allow for organized hit lists to click on for specific title information

  10. Controlled Vocabulary, cont’d • Browse displays are the only mechanism providing vocabulary control of free-floating elements of subject headings • Patrons don’t need to know or type in complete string—only first element Meaning of pre-coordinated phrases and Menu visible in browse searches are equally important

  11. Keyword “Yugoslavia” and “History” • Overwhelming, jumbled results • Too many responses with right words in inappropriate contexts

  12. 10,000 + !!!

  13. Subject Browse on “Yugoslavia” • Yugoslavia • Yugoslavia—Antiquities • Yugoslavia—Bibliography • Yugoslavia—Civilization • Yugoslavia—Economic conditions • Yugoslavia—Historical geography • Yugoslavia--History • Yugoslavia—Politics and government • Yugoslavia—Social life and customs

  14. Only 25 lines J

  15. So… what do catalogers do to add controlled vocabulary to bibliographic records? We try to figure out what the book is about—

  16. To begin with, we: • Examine all works [book, non-book, fiction, non-fiction] for subject content • title • abstract • introduction • preface • table of contents • index • bibliography • jacket or cover or label or box blurbs • accompanying materials, inserts, boxes • Identify main subjects • Identify author’s point of view

  17. Then, we use the primary source of controlled vocabulary, Library of Congress Subject Headings, aka LCSH or “the red books,” either in print or online in OCLC’s Connexion or in LC’s Cataloger’s Desktop. LCSH has subject terms, additions to terms, and helpful notes about how and when to use them. It also sometimes includes suggested LC classification numbers.

  18. Some Important LCSHCharacteristics There are several types of headings: • Single words Poor • Qualified words Iris (Eye) • Phrases Career plateaus • Inverted phrases Medicine, Arab • Series of nouns Law reports, digests, etc. • Some uniform titles Bible

  19. A Few More… • Few—almost none!—personal or corporate names. George Bush & Federal Bureau of Investigation aren’t included • Recent trend toward natural word order (rather than inverted) and fewer hyphenated terms • “Pattern headings”, e.g., • Corn (for plants and crops) • Shakespeare (for personal authors) • Subdivisions are preceded by -- in LCSH & are separately subfielded in MARC authority records

  20. Looking at an LCSH page, note: • Indentions, preceded by hyphens • Boldface entries • Scope notes • Cross reference structure • LCC numbers • Capitalization • Punctuation • Alphabetization in structured display

  21. Chicachas Indians USE Chickasaw Indians Chicago, Judy, 1939- Dinner party UF Dinner party (Art) BT Art, American Chicago (Ill.) -- Description -- -- To 1875 -- -- 1875-1950 -- -- 1951-1980 -- -- 1981- -- Haymarket Square Riot, 1886 USE Haymarket Square Riot, Chicago, Ill., 1886 -- History [F548] -- -- To1875 -- -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [F548.4] -- --1875- -- Massacre, 1812 USE Massacres—Illinois—Chicago --Politics and government -- --To 1950 -- --1951- Chicago (Ill.)—Politics and government—1951- -- Riot, 1968 (August) Chicago (Ill.). North Lawndale USE North Lawndale (Chicago, Ill.) Bold vs. unbolded Indentions Hyphens USE, UF, BT

  22. Some LCSH terms you should know: • Subject headings/terms • Subject subdivisions • Pattern headings • Subject heading strings • “May subdivide geog.” direction • Scope notes • Cross references [the BT, RT, etc., we’ll talk about later today]

  23. Terms Defined • Subject headings/terms = Initial subject elements in string • Subject subdivisions = Various elements that are added to initial subject terms • Pattern headings = examples of subdivisions that can be used with similar subjects • Subject heading strings = subject term + any subdivision(s) connected within single field

  24. “May subdivide geog.” direction = permission to add geographic subdivision after subject or subdivision term • Scope notes = explanation of how term or subdivision should be used • Cross references: BT = broader term; RT = related term; NT = narrower term; sa = see also; USE = use term directed to; UF = used for

  25. Alphabetization & Capitalization Rules • Topic • Topic—Subdivisions • Topic, Inverted extension • Topic (Qualifying term) • Topic with other words in phrase

  26. Structured Display in Action • Reading—Ability testing • Reading—Abstracts—Periodicals • Reading—Congresses • Reading—Research • Reading, Psychology of • Reading (Adult education) • Reading (England) • Reading comprehension

  27. BREAK??

  28. Kinds of Subdivisions • Topical --Growth [MARC $x] • Form --Fiction [MARC $v] • Chronological --To 1950 [MARC $y] • Geographic --France [MARC $z] CLUE: You can sometimes find a scope note about the use of a term as a subdivision under entry for its use as a subject heading, whether boldface or not

  29. Authorized Subdivisions • Established specifically for use under particular heading 650 _0 Cinematography $x Special effects. 651 _0 France $x History $y 1945-1958. • Free-floating may be used under certain types of headings without being established specifically 650 _0 Biochemistry $v Congresses. 651 _0 New York (N.Y.) $x Buildings, structures, etc. 650 _0 Short stories, American $x History and criticism • Pattern headingsmay be applied as appropriate

  30. Pattern headings give you a bunch of possible subdivisions for a particular kind of subject heading, e.g., subdivisions appropriate or possible after names of plants. These subdivisions aren’t repeated after every plant name in LCSH—the pattern serves as the primary listing of possible subdivisions for any plant.

  31. Some Pattern Headings in LCSH Pattern headingsExamples Animals (general) Fishes Animals (domestic) Cattle Diseases Cancer; TB Organ, body regions Heart; Foot Plants & crops Corn Indiv. lit. authors Shakespeare City Chicago, Ill. State Ohio Country U.S.

  32. Compare Carrots [in Connexion authority search] …

  33. to Corn And we’re only at the C’s!!!

  34. All the subdivisions listed under Corn can be used—when appropriate—after carrots, potatoes, wheat, etc. Ditto for authors (Shakespeare’s the pattern), cities (follow Chicago) … OCLC’s Connexion includes list of pattern headings at http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/connexion/browser/authorities/find_auth_records/find_auth_records_pdf.pdf

  35. Building Subject Heading Strings • Find appropriate subject heading • Look for established subdivisions • Add appropriate free-floating subdivisions • Check pattern headings for more possibilities • Watch for permission by “multiples,” e.g., English language -- Dictionaries -- French, [Italian, etc.]

  36. Preferred Order of Terms in Subject Heading Strings • General subject heading—Topical subdivision—Geographic subdivision—Chronological subdivision—Form subdivision 650 _0 $a $x $z $y $v 650 _0 $a Spanish language $x Dialects $z Spain $x History $y 19th century $v Dictionaries. • Place follows last element that allows geographical subdivision, when there’s a choice: Not Topic—Place—Topic But Topic—Topic—Place

  37. Geographic subdivision is always indirect — except Jerusalem & Washington, D.C. — using latest name of place 650 _0 Birds $z United States. 650 _0 Birds $z Missouri. 650 _0 Birds $z Missouri $z Saint Louis. 650 _0 Birds $z Washington (D.C.) NOT 650 _0 Birds $z Saint Louis. NOT 650 _0 Birds $z United States $z Missouri.

  38. Miscellaneous Facts • If about history or government, whose history or government is most important starting point 651 _0 Connecticut $x Politics and government. • Reciprocal headings are sometimes required, e.g., 2-way language dictionary; 2-way foreign relations text 651 _0 China $x Foreign relations $z Brazil. 651 _0 Brazil $x Foreign relations $z China.

  39. Looking at an LCSH Authority Record in MARC, note: • 1XX field = authorized form • 4XX field(s) = unauthorized, see from form • 5XX field(s) = authorized, see also from form • 053 field(s) = LC call numbers • fixed field info about usage, subdividing geographically, source, rules, etc.

  40. Unused term Broader term Broader term Note L.C. call numbers

  41. MARC Bibliographic Fields* for Subject Headings • 600 Personal name subject heading • 610 Corporate name subject heading • 611 Conference name subject heading • 650 Topical subject heading • 651 Geographical subject heading • 690 Local subject heading • 650 _4 Local subject heading, patterned after LCSH construction *All represented in ARs as 1XX fields, e.g., 100, 150, 151

  42. Subject Heading Tools • LCSH • Free-Floating Subdivisions: an Alphabetical Index • LC Period Subdivisions under Names of Places • Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings • OCLC’s Connexion database authority file [really LC’s authority file, loaded in OCLC] • OCLC’s Connexion database heading verification (control heading) • LCSH pattern heading list in Connexion • LC authority file • Local system’s heading verification • Library of Congress Subject Headings: Principles and Application / Lois Mai Chan.

  43. Let’s Add Subject Headings to Our “Fake Books”

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