subject headings: the province of luddites or key to effective resource discovery? presented by...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery?
Presented by
Carol BradsherFor NOTSL
October 29, 2004
![Page 2: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Image problemCatalogers as drones and dust jacket
jockeys “Assigning subject headings” vs.
“postcoordinate full text or semantic retrieval”
![Page 3: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Subject cataloging
Role cataloging plays in the path of a work from generation to consumption
![Page 4: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Exercise Determine the
subject content of a work
Write down key words and concepts that describe the subject content
![Page 5: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Guidelines for assigning
Framework bounded by two tracks :1) Guidelines for evaluating subject catalogs
2) Library of Congress subject cataloging guidelines
![Page 6: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Evaluating subject catalogs
• Recall• Relevance• Precision
• Exhaustivity• Ease of use• Cost
![Page 7: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
RecallA subject search should bring back
enough, but not too much Is the subject search “Large type books”
useful?Compare with searching the Internet
![Page 8: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
RelevanceA subject search should match the
searcher’s needs Inverse relationship between recall and
relevance, i.e. Higher recall, lower relevance Lower recall, higher relevance
![Page 9: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
PrecisionThe searcher should be able to specify
exactly what is wanted, without having to use broader subject headings Penguins vs. water fowl
![Page 10: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
ExhaustivityRefers to the indexing levelHow many headings are assigned and
what level do they represent? Is there a subject heading assigned for
every idea contained?How does this relate to cost?
![Page 11: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Ease of useHow easily can the general public
perform subject searches?What are we requiring of our users?
![Page 12: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
CostDifference between perfection and
excellenceWhat factors are involved?
![Page 13: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
LC Subject Cataloging GuidelinesFound in Library of Congress Subject
Cataloging Manual Essential cataloging reference tool Available from LC Cataloging Distribution
Service
![Page 14: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings (SCM:SH)
![Page 15: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
LC Subject Heading Guidelines
Found in SCM, H18020% of the workObjectivityException to 20% rule for namesAboutness
![Page 16: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
LCSH guidelinesRule of 3; rule of 4bring out the geographical and
chronological treatment of a subjectNot everything gets a subject headingLCSH based on literary warrant
![Page 17: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
How did we do?Applying the guidelines of evaluating
subject catalogs and assigning headings, how would you evaluate the terms and concepts for The professor and the madman?
![Page 18: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Headings assigned by LC
1. Murray, James Augustus Henry, Sir, 1837-1915 $x Friends and associates. 2. Minor, William Chester. 3. New English dictionary on historical principles. 4. Oxford English dictionary 5. Psychiatric hospital patients $z Great Britain $x Biography. 6. Lexicographers $z Great Britain $x Biography. 7. English language $x Lexicography. 8. English language $x Etymology. 9. United States $x History $y Civil War, 1861-1865 $x
Veterans $x Biography.
![Page 19: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Be not dismayedStudy by Lois Chan found a very low
level of consistency (15%) for all subject heading elements between LC and non-LC catalogers.
Study did find a higher level of partial agreement (80%) between catalogers in terms of the subject heading elements they assign
![Page 20: Subject headings: the province of Luddites or key to effective resource discovery? Presented by Carol Bradsher For NOTSL October 29, 2004](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022072006/56649f535503460f94c78959/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Points to ponderAre subject headings still effective?Do the benefits of a controlled
vocabulary outweigh the costs or problems associated with them?
Is keyword searching more effective?