Subject Headings for Reference
Everything You Need to Know About Subject
Headings in One Easy Lesson
By
Dr. Nancy J. Becker
Presented by
Dr. Kevin Rioux
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Library Catalogs
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Provide information about resources of a particular library’s
collection, including reference resources
Provide intermediary assistance for reference librarians
– ensure important sources of information are not overlooked
– free librarian from need to memorize all sources on every
topic
Controlled Vocabulary
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Definition: Language that is carefully systematized for use in retrieval
tools
– Ensures consistency in use of subject terms
– Aids collocation by subject in the catalog
Types of Controlled Vocabularies
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Subject Heading Lists
– Used in most library catalogs
– Broad in scope to cover wide range of disciplines and subjects
• Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
• Sears List of Subject Headings
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Types of Controlled Vocabularies
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Thesauri
– Used in indexes and databases
– Cover limited discipline or subject with greater specificity
• ERIC
• MeSH
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Features of Controlled Vocabularies
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One term or phrase for one concept
Formal syndetic structure of references
Identify relationships
– Broader terms
– Narrower terms
– Related terms
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Subject Heading Structure
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Main element (can be any subject)
– Personal name: (Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616)
– Topical: (Art history; Motorcycles; Butterflies)
– Geographic: (Italy; Maine; Moon)
– Corporate name: (Microsoft; St. John’s University)
Subdivisions
• --Topic--Place--Chronology--Form
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Art--Censorship
Art--Italy
Art--16th Century
Art--Catalogs
Art--Forgeries--England--20th century--Exhibitions
Functions of Subdivisions
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To serve as a device for subarranging large numbers of records for
works with the same main heading
History--Dictionaries
History--France
History--Periodicals
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To render the subject more specific, i.e., limit the scope
History--France--19th century
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Free-Floating Subdivisions
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Widely applicable to many subject headings
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Save space in lists
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Sears: Commonly Used Subdivisions
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LCSH: Free-Floating Subdivisions
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List Structure
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Portraits
UF Portraiture
BT Art
Biography
Pictures
NT Effigies
Photography--Portraits
Self-portraits
– Law and legislation
– Private collections
Application
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Art, Byzantine (May Subd. Geog.)
UF Byzantine art
Art, Medieval
Christian art and symbolism--To 500
Christian art and symbolism--Medieval, 500-1500
– Greek influences
Headings in Catalog:
Art, Byzantine
Art, Byzantine--Russia
Art, Byzantine--Russia--Exhibitions
Art, Byzantine--Russia--Greek influences
ERIC Thesaurus
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Subject Search Models
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Specific-to-General (known-item search)
General-to-Specific (subject/discipline search)
Type-of-Literature (form)
Specific-to-General Search Model
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Begin with “known-item” search
Find bibliographic record for known-item
Note subject headings assigned to that item (tracings)
Initiate general catalog search using subject heading found on record
Search subject heading list using subject heading found on record to identify
other related headings
General-to-Specific Search Model
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Begin with search in subject heading list
Find term for specific subject that is used by list
Note BT, RT, and NT
Search library catalog using controlled vocabulary subject term(s)
Locate specific items
Type-of-Literature Search Model
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Enables systematic predictability of reference sources in all subject
areas
Works well for finding reference resources for factual information
Uses main subject heading for the topic coupled with a subdivision
for Form
Education--Encyclopedias
Baseball--Dictionaries
New Jersey--Road maps
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A Few LCSH Free-Floating Form Subdivisions
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–Atlases
–Bibliography
–Calendars
–Catalogs
–Chronology
–Computer databases
–Concordances
–Criticism, Textual
–Diaries
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–Dictionaries
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–Directories
–Discography
–Encyclopedias
–Handbooks, manuals, etc.
–Illustrations
–Indexes
–Periodicals
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Remember:
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The library catalog can be used to find reference sources
Published guides to reference sources become dated when published,
but Library catalogs are updated constantly
Subject headings can help you find reference sources on old and new
literature without need to memorize all sources