Subject Analysis

LIS 653

Starr Hoffman

How it All Fits Together

Record(representation of bibliographic

information)

Code (rules:

AACR2, RDA)

Encoding (MARC, XML)

Authority control (standardized author name: J. R. R. Tolkien)

Structure (ISBD, XML)

Subject headings (LCSH, Sears,

AAT)

Classification (shelving: LC,

Dewey)

Model (FRBR, trad.

model)

Record is displayed in an OPAC, online database, etc.

Format(MARC,

Dublin Core)

Goals of Subject Analysis

Collocation of similar items: On the shelf

Classification In the catalog

Subject headings

Goals of Subject Analysis

Collocation of similar items: On the shelf

Classification In the catalog

Subject headings

Enable high precision & recall Precision: most of the results are relevant Recall: most of the relevant items are retrieved

Find all items in a library on a given topic

Subject Analysis Strategies

Classification Dewey Decimal Classification Library of Congress Classification

Subject Headings & Thesauri (controlled vocabularies)

Subject Headings (general) Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) Sears List of Subject Headings

Thesaurus (specific subject domain) Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) Legislative Indexing Vocabulary (LIV)

1 topic per item

multiple topics

per item

Subject Analysis Strategies

Classification

Subject Headings (5, LCSH)

1 topic per item

multiple topics

per item

Controlled Vocabularies: Guiding Principles

Basis for including terms in a vocabulary:

Literary warrant Is this term used in the literature of the topic?

In art literature (AAT): “iconography” LCSH “lit” = all books held by Library of Congress

Use warrant Principle of common usage (Cutter)

“cat” vs. “feline” Terms useful for your users

Structural warrant Supply missing links in a hierarchy

Controlled Vocabularies: Guiding Principles (LCSH)

Literary warrant Is this book held by Library of Congress?

User needs (access, current usage) Uniform headings, unique headings

One heading per subject… Bank (Financial institution) Bank (River)

Specific & direct entry Use the most specific term

Stability Weigh change against impact (users, catalogers) & cost

Consistency Form & structure

Controlled Vocabularies:

FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology)

Controlled Vocabularies…

Precoordinate: Keywords are combined (LCSH, Sears)

LCSH: Plants--Nutrition--Genetic Aspects Sears: Salt in animal nutrition

Postcoordinate: Keywords/concepts are not combined (most thesauri)

Example: Plants Nutrition Genetics Salt

Term Mapping in Controlled Vocabularies

BT = broader term NT = narrower term RT = related term UF = used for

lists non-preferred headings USE = gives a preferred

heading SA = see also

lists potentially related or similar headings

Challenges in Subject Analysis

Complex subjects Comparing Methods in Sociological Research in Panama, Peru, and Spain

Differences in cultural background Consistency Non-textual items Exhaustivity: What level?

precision vs. recall

Objectivity bias, beliefs

Different Methods of Subject Analysis

Langridge What is it? (category of knowledge) What is it for? What is it about?

Wilson’s methods Purposive method Figure-ground method Objective method Cohesion method

Use-based approach What is it about? Why has it been added to our collection? What aspects will our users be interested in?

Different Methods of Subject Analysis

Combine & improvise as-needed…

Starr’s Method: What is it?

category of knowledge physical format, genre

What is it for? Who is it for?

Who was it created for? Which of our local user groups will use it?

What is it about? Why has it been added to our collection?

child reading Percy

Jackson

literature professor

Process of Conceptual Analysis

Examine the item Bibliographic features Visual elements

Examine the content Topics mentioned Names as subjects Chronological elements

Content characteristics Language, tone Intellectual level, audience Point of view Research methods Form and genre

But in the end…There’s no one correct method.

Happy Halloween!