Reflection: Week 5

Assalamualaikum

Subject Headings

Subject  headings  are  a type  of  controlled  vocabulary that   is  used to take the  guesswork out  of searching  by  using  a  single term to  describe  a  subject.
For  example,  the  American  Revolutionary War  can  be  described  using  the  following
terms:

                

                 American  Revolution

                 American  Revolutionary  War

                 Revolution,  American
                 Revolutionary  War,  American
                 War  of  the  American  Revolution
                 American  War  of  Independence
                 War  of  American  Independence
                 War  of Independence

By  using  a  controlled  vocabulary,  all  materials  about  the  American  Revolutionary War  are  listed under  one  heading:
United  States --  History --  Revolution,  1775-1783

Having  a  controlled  vocabulary  helps  create  "see  also"  references  :
American  Revolution --  See --  United  States -- History --  Revolution,  1775-1783

It  also  creates  consistent  subdivisions:
United  States --  History --  Revolution,  1775-1783 --  Battlefields
United  States -- History -- Civil War,  1861-1865 --  Battlefields
World  War,  1914-1918  --  Battlefields

Using  a  standardized  controlled  vocabulary  allows  searches to  be  done  quickly  and  with more  accuracy.  Also,  since  most  library's  use  the  same  controlled  vocabulary  in  their catalogs,  only  one  vocabulary  style  needs  to  be  learned.

Controlled vocabularies are used outside of the library,with a common example being the yellow pages in a phone book. For example:

See  also  reference:
Lawyers --  see  Attorneys

Subject  heading:
Attorneys

Subdivision:
Attorneys --  Personal Injury   & Wrong  Death

For more notes on subject headings, please visit this website: http://home.olemiss.edu/~tharry/SH/lcshguide.pdf



Subject cataloging

• Cataloging is the preparation of bibliographic information for catalog records
• Using a set of cataloging tools, which are the agreed international rules and standards
• Cataloging consists of

                 – Descriptive cataloging
                 – Subject cataloging
                 – Classification

• Process of determining subject headings for an item.
• The headings which best represent the subjects subjects of the work in words and/or of the work in words and/or phrases using an authoritative list
• Aims of subject cataloging:

               – To provide access by subject to all relevant materials
               – To provide subject access to materials through all suitable of subject organisation – i.e matter, process, application
               – To bring together all references to material on a subject  regardless of different terminology, different subject approaches , and the changing nature of material itself
               – To show affiliations among subject fields
               – To provide entry at any level of analysis
               – To provide entry through any vocabulary common to any considerable group of users
               – To provide a formal description the subject content of the item in the most precise 
                   terms possible, whether this be a word, phrase, class number etc



Subject analysis

1. First examine the work in hand
2. Then decide on several keywords that could represent the subject
3. Using the keywords as a starting point, go to each term in the list to identify appropriate headings.



Subject analysis : determining the subject

• Title : may  or may not be helpful
• Subtitle : often more useful
• Author : may provide an indication of the broad topic
• Forward, preface, introduction : usually state the author intention
• Publisher : may give an indication if the publisher specialises in a particular subject area
• Series : may be useful
• Content and index : usually the good indicator of the main topic
• Text :use to conform your ideas about the subject
• CIP : useful but use with care. CIP prepared prior to publication.



Principles of subject cataloging

1. User
    Always consider user and their needs. The heading, in wroding and structure , should be one   that the user would be most likely to look for
2. Uniform Uniform headings headings
    All items dealing with one subject should be placed under one heading
3. Terminology
    •Synonyms
    •Variant spellings
    •English vs other languages
    •Technical vs popular
    •Obsolete vs current terms
    •Homonyms


Popular subject list

1. Library of Congress Subject Headings - Perpustakaan Sultanah Zanariah
2. Sears list of Subject Headings - Usually Public Library



Library of Congress Subject Headings

The  Library  of  Congress  Subject  Headings  are  a  massive  controlled  vocabulary  list  used by  the  majority  of  libraries. It  is  currently  published  in  5  large,  red  volumes.Work  on  creating  LCSH  list  was  started  in  1898,  with the first  edition  being  published in  1909.   The  newest  edition  (27th)  was  published  in  June,  2004. It  has  over  270,000  usable  headings,  and  over  490,000  headings  that  are  used  for cross  referencing. It  had  7,200  new terms  added to the  lists.

Example of Library of Congress Subject Headings Books

Here are some terminology in Library of Congress Subject Headings

BT - Broader Topic - Use to expand your search using a broader topic.

NT - Narrower Topics - Use to focus your search using a narrower topic.

RT - Related Topic - Alternitive terminology for your topic.

UF - This is the appropriate subject heading is use for these words. DO NOT search by words listed as UF.

USE - Identifies the correct heading to use for your topic.

SA- See also

We must familiar with this terms because this terms are used to determine the suitable subject cataloging. For example 1:

Banks, Jerry.

Discrete-event system simulation / Jerry Banks.; John S. Carson,II.- New Jersey: Prentice Hall,c1984.

xiv,514p.:ill,; 24cm.

(Prentice-Hall International Series in industrial and systems engineering)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-13-215582-6.

1. Simulation methods

I. Carson, John S. II. Tittle III. Series

Step 1: Determine the subject.

Refer back to subject analysis, one of ways to determine the subject by looking the title. Discrete-event system simulation is one of simulation methods.So the keyword is "Simulation methods".


Step 2: Decide which one is closed to the subject.

There are many subtopic under simulation methods and I choose system simulation because it is the keyword of the title's book.

Step 3: Besides System Simulation, you can see UF means "Used For": It means this is the appropriate subject heading is use for these words. DO NOT search by words listed as UF.

Step 4: The Subject Heading for this book according to Library of Congress is "Simulation Methods"

Example 2:

Herlina Abdul Rahim.

Pengenalan sistem kejuruteraan kawalan. / Herlina Abdul Rahim.; Ruzairi Abdul Rahim.-Skudai: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,c2004.

x,128p.:ill.; 26cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 983-52-0349-0.

1.Automatic control            2. Systems engineering

I. Ruzairi Hj. Abdul Rahim. II. Judul.

Example 3:

Mohd Shahizan Othman.

Microsoft SQL server 2000: teori dan amali. / Mohd Shahizan Othman ....[et al.].-Skudai: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Includes bibliographies and index.

ISBN 983-52-0354-7.

1.Microsoft SQL server (computer file)      2. Client / server computing       3. Database management

I. Mohd. Shahizan Othman.                        II. Suraya Miskon. III. Judul.

Why database management is subject heading??

Because refer back to subject analysis, one of ways to determine the subject by looking the preface. As you can see in picture above, the author said that this book will exposed to readers in  developing database management (theory and practical).

Example 4:

Finney, Ross L.

Kalkulus dan geometri analisis. / Ross L. Finney.; penterjemah Halijah Osman... [et al.]. - Skudai: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Includes index.

ISBN 983-52-0140-4.

1.Calculus.               2. Geometry, Analytic.

I. Halijah Osman. II. Judul.