The system of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) has been the subject of feminist, critical examinations since the 1970s. Subject headings pertaining both to feminist literature and to women in general have been analyzed to determine how LCSH represents these topics. In this study, I contribute to this body of scholarship by analyzing and reporting on the nature of the LCSH subject representation of 52 core works published from 1986-1998 in the areas of feminist theory and women’s movements. These monographs were selected from the 3rd edition of Women’s Studies: A Recommended Bibliography (Krikos & Ingold, 2004). The analysis of works of/on feminist theory and on women’s movements is preceded by a pilot study of 24 core works on the topics of Communications, Film, Television, Media, and Journalism. I utilize the abstracts of these works in Krikos & Ingold (2004), as well as the works themselves, to establish the nature of each monograph’s perspective and scope. To this information I compare the LC subject headings employed in the bibliographic records representing these works in the Library of Congress Online Catalog in order to assess the headings’ usefulness as surrogate representations of these monographs in terms of accuracy, relevance, specificity, and currency. I present my findings as sets of problems and solutions illustrated with specific examples. Overall, LCSH is not able to represent adequately the 24 works in the pilot study sample or the 52 core works in the main study based on its current application. I conclude with a proposed set of subject headings as suggested by the abstracts of these works.

The motivation for this thesis lies in the knowledge that there is a crucial information need amongst LGBTQ-persons wanting to read fiction related to LGBTQ in order to strengthen their own identity. This particular information need regarding identification has been said to be more central within LGBTQ-communities than within other user groups, largely because they represent a marginalized group in society. Critical feminists, such as Hope A. Olson, have proved that knowledge organization based on systems of subject representation in fact may lead to further marginalization and exclusion of already marginalized groups. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to compare subject representation and social tagging as methods of organizing LGBTQ-fiction. The empirical data is drawn from the collaborative tagging platform LibraryThing and five public library catalogs.Within a feminist framework based on queer theory, the advantages of user-generated metadata in the form of social tagging over professional knowledge organization in the form of subject representation are discussed, and in the end dismissed as an adequate replacement or alternative for the latter. The results of this study show that social tagging presents users with more diverse access points than those created within a controlled vocabulary system. However, while some of the social tags are more specific and in some ways inclusive, most of the tags consist of general terms describing the works of fiction. This is a two years master’s thesis.

The system of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) has been the subject of feminist, critical examinations since the 1970s. Subject headings pertaining both to feminist literature and to women in general have been analyzed to determine how LCSH represents these topics. In this study, I contribute to this body of scholarship by analyzing and reporting on the nature of the LCSH subject representation of 52 core works published from 1986-1998 in the areas of feminist theory and women’s movements. These monographs were selected from the 3rd edition of Women’s Studies: A Recommended Bibliography (Krikos & Ingold, 2004). The analysis of works of/on feminist theory and on women’s movements is preceded by a pilot study of 24 core works on the topics of Communications, Film, Television, Media, and Journalism. I utilize the abstracts of these works in Krikos & Ingold (2004), as well as the works themselves, to establish the nature of each monograph’s perspective and scope. To this information I compare the LC subject headings employed in the bibliographic records representing these works in the Library of Congress Online Catalog in order to assess the headings’ usefulness as surrogate representations of these monographs in terms of accuracy, relevance, specificity, and currency. I present my findings as sets of problems and solutions illustrated with specific examples. Overall, LCSH is not able to represent adequately the 24 works in the pilot study sample or the 52 core works in the main study based on its current application. I conclude with a proposed set of subject headings as suggested by the abstracts of these works.

1. GND 2. RDA 3. CrissCross 4. MACS 5. Petrus

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Orientador: Regina Paolucci El Dib / Resumo: Introduction: A high-quality electronic search is essential in ensuring accuracy and comprehensivness in identifying potentially relevant records in conducting a systematic review. To assist researchers in identifying terms when formulating a sensitive search strategy, librarians and educators instruct researchers to consult and include preferred and non-preferred terms of the controlled database. However, by using all available terms in the thesaurus (i.e. subject headings), strategies can be lengthy and very laborious. Objective: To identify the most efficient method for searching in both Medline through PubMed and EMBASE, covering search terms with different spellings, direct and indirect orders, and association (or lack thereof) with MeSH and EMTREE terms. Method: In our cross-sectional study of search strategies, we selected and analysed 37 search strategies specifically developed for the anesthesiology field. These search strategies were adapted in order to cover all potentially relevant search terms in terms of different spellings and direct and indirect orders, most efficiently. Results: When adapted to include different spellings and direct and indirect orders, adapted versions of the selected search strategies retrieved the same number of search results in the Medline (mean of 61,3%) and higher number in EMBASE (mean of 63,9%) of the analyzed sample. The number of results retrieved by the searches analysed was not identical using the association or not of MeSH and E... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Doutor

This scholarly work of conclusion of course (TACC), consisting of a scientific paper and a product of speech, discusses words representing the content (keywords and descriptors) used in abstracts of academic papers defended in 2013 and 2014, the professional master's in Health Education (MEPS), identifying them as terms finalizers and indexers of research. The method adopted was of documentary nature, exploratory and descriptive, with quantitative perspective, investigating 37 research through semi-structured, electronic questionnaire containing a total of 17 questions, with the first five draw the General profile of all jobs and the following 12 identify each of the terms that are described in their respective summaries. The interrogative instrument was developed by the researcher in the own masters through the platform Google drive, to support the documentary analysis, being validated through an Electronic Validation Panel during the discipline technology applied in teaching and research in health (TAEPS), from the same institution. The variables analyzed were: (a) amount of keywords, (b) finalizer Nomenclature of summary: keywords or descriptors, (c) characterization of keywords: free and structured terms, (d) frequency of keywords, (and) Terminology of input keywords, (f) capture of key words in the titles and (g) score used between the keywords. The amount of keywords used pointed out that the summaries of the TACC did not follow an internal standardization of MEPS, but it was necessary to fit the journals chosen for submission, after the defence of academic papers, following the requirements presuppose the possibility of publication. Various terms used as keywords summaries were not found in the main terminology banks (MeSH, DeCS and Thesaurus), but had strength so the construction of the indexing representative academic work as the terms present in the bases of access, being possible to suggest new terms are included in the recovery of information portals. Finally, the authors of the TACC used encoded descriptors. However, do not have cited in their methodologies, registry numbers, or the portal in which they were obtained, leading to complete lack of practice when accessing the databases available, where the distinction between free or structured terms could contribute better with the correct choice of words post-production of their abstracts. Points out that various terminologies used by them, had great relevance in cohesion and coherence in summaries in which they found, showing strong potential for indexing the portal DeCS, which highlights the need for even more dynamic and constant supply of new terms, enabling more research grants, from the enrichment of databases available, and taking into account the existing records. In order to target students, teachers and researchers, more thorough management of the finalizer of nomenclature summaries, which will represent the content of scholarly works, from graduations and post-graduate degrees and academic professionals, was created, as a product of intervention, an educational blog titled ‘Key words in Scientific Production of MEPS’, which guides you through the proper use of the words representative of abstracts (keywords and descriptors). / O presente Trabalho Acadêmico de Conclusão de Curso (TACC), composto por um artigo científico e um produto de intervenção, discute sobre palavras representativas do conteúdo (palavras-chave e descritores) utilizadas nos resumos dos trabalhos acadêmicos defendidos em 2013 e 2014, no Mestrado Profissional em Ensino na Saúde (MPES), identificando-as como termos finalizadores e indexadores das pesquisas. O método adotado foi de cunho documental, exploratório e descritivo, com perspectiva quantitativa, investigando 37 pesquisas, através de questionário eletrônico semiestruturado, contendo um total de 17 perguntas, sendo que as cinco primeiras desenham o perfil geral de todos os trabalhos e as 12 seguintes identificam cada um dos termos descritos nos seus respectivos resumos. O instrumento interrogativo foi desenvolvido pela pesquisadora no próprio mestrado, através da plataforma Google drive, para subsidiar a análise documental, sendo validado por meio de um Painel de Validação Eletrônico durante a disciplina Tecnologia Aplicada no Ensino e Pesquisa na Saúde (TAEPS), da mesma instituição. As variáveis analisadas foram: (a) Quantidade de palavras-chave, (b) Nomenclatura finalizadora de resumo: palavras-chave ou descritores, (c) Caracterização das palavras-chave: termos livres e estruturados, (d) Frequência das palavras-chave, (e) Terminologias de entrada das palavras-chave, (f) Captação de palavras-chave nos títulos e (g) Pontuação usada entre as palavras-chave. A quantidade de palavras-chave usadas apontou que os resumos dos TACC não seguiram uma normatização interna do MPES, mas foi preciso se adequar aos periódicos escolhidos para submissão, após a defesa dos trabalhos acadêmicos, seguindo as exigências pressupostas para a possibilidade de publicação. Vários termos utilizados como palavras-chave dos resumos não foram encontrados nos principais bancos de terminologias (MeSH, DeCS e Thesaurus), mas possuíam força indexadora tão representativa à construção do trabalho acadêmico quanto os termos presentes nas bases de acesso, sendo possível sugerir que novos termos sejam incluídos nos portais de recuperação das informações. Por fim, os autores dos TACC utilizaram descritores codificados. Entretanto, não citaram em suas metodologias, a numeração do registro, nem o portal no qual os mesmos foram obtidos, levando a concluir haver falta de prática ao acessar as bases de dados disponíveis, onde a distinção entre termos livres ou estruturados poderia contribuir melhor com a escolha correta das palavras finalizadoras de seus resumos. Ressalta-se ainda que várias terminologias usadas por eles, possuíam grande relevância na coesão e coerência nos resumos em que se encontravam, apresentando forte potencial de indexação no portal DeCS, o que evidencia a necessidade de alimentação ainda mais dinâmica e constante de novos termos, possibilitando mais subsídios às pesquisas, a partir do enriquecimento das bases de dados disponíveis e, levando em consideração os registros existentes. Com o intuito de direcionar discentes, docentes e pesquisadores, no manejo mais minucioso da nomenclatura finalizadora de resumos, que representarão o conteúdo dos trabalhos acadêmicos, oriundos de graduações e pós-graduações acadêmicas e profissionais, foi criado, como produto de intervenção, um blog educacional intitulado ‘Descritores na Produção Científica do MPES’, o qual orienta o uso adequado das palavras representativas de resumos.

The purpose of dissertation is to examine whether the understandings of subject indexing processes conducted by human indexers have a positive impact on the effectiveness of automatic subject term assignment through text categorization (TC). More specifically, human indexers' subject indexing approaches or conceptions in conjunction with semantic sources were explored in the context of a typical scientific journal article data set. Based on the premise that subject indexing approaches or conceptions with semantic sources are important for automatic subject term assignment through TC, this study proposed an indexing conception-based framework. For the purpose of this study, three hypotheses were tested: 1) the effectiveness of semantic sources, 2) the effectiveness of an indexing conception-based framework, and 3) the effectiveness of each of three indexing conception-based approaches (the content-oriented, the document-oriented, and the domain-oriented approaches). The experiments were conducted using a support vector machine implementation in WEKA (Witten, & Frank, 2000). The experiment results pointed out that cited works, source title, and title were as effective as the full text, while keyword was found more effective than the full text. In addition, the findings showed that an indexing conception-based framework was more effective than the full text. Especially, the content-oriented and the document-oriented indexing approaches were found more effective than the full text. Among three indexing conception-based approaches, the content-oriented approach and the document-oriented approach were more effective than the domain-oriented approach. In other words, in the context of a typical scientific journal article data set, the objective contents and authors' intentions were more focused that the possible users' needs. The research findings of this study support that incorporation of human indexers' indexing approaches or conception in conjunction with semantic sources has a positive impact on the effectiveness of automatic subject term assignment.

Subject description is a linguistic practice, and therefore all controlled vocabularies are built upon theories of language. However, the underlying theories are rarely discussed in greater length. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate what epistemological foundations controlled vocabularies are built upon and what consequences that has for their internal structure. The main object of interest is the category. From a rationalistic point of view categories are universal and well defined. In a pragmatic point of view categories are contextual with fluid boundaries. A pragmatic point of view has been shown by Wittgenstein and Rosch to more accurately describe how language works, therefore the standpoint of this thesis is that a controlled vocabulary that takes a pragmatic approach will be a better tool for indexing and searching. The study is done in three parts. First the theoretical literature on knowledge organisation is investigated. The findings are that there is a divide among writers who take a rationalistic and pragmatic approach. Then, guidelines and principles from IFLA, LCSH, Svenska ämnesord and MeSH are examined. In all cases the rationalist view is favored but the quirks of language are handled in different ways. In IFLA's FRSAD, the writers claim to take no theoretical stance but in reality they take a rationalistic perspective. LCSH blame the inconsistencies in the system on the many people that have worked on it over a long period of time. SAO is built with LCSH as a role model and therefore have the same problems, although they have gone towards a more pragmatic approach. MeSH, however, acknowledges that language is more complicated, and the controlled vocabulary is built on a more pragmatic foundation. Lastly, examples from the controlled vocabularies are discussed. The finding is that, in practice, controlled vocabularies work in accordance with a pragmatic perspective. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

Introduction. This thesis seeks to investigate the construction and application of subject headings within Queerlit; a database designed to collocate Swedish works of fiction containing LGBTQI motifs. The aim of the study is to identify which principles guide the use of subject headings within Queerlit. The findings of this study can in turn provide insights as to the practical and epistemological challenges that can arise in the subject indexing of LGBTQI materials in general.  Theory & Method. The theoretical underpinnings of the study are social constructionism and queer theory. A Foucauldian understanding of the concept of discourse has been applied during analysis. The study also makes use of theories concerning categorization of sexuality and gender as described by Sedgwick and Halberstam, along with the LIS concepts of aboutness and meaning. The method used is discourse analysis, which has been applied to Queerlit’s subject heading list, as well as the indexing of two novels included in Queerlit.  Results & Analysis. The analysis has shown that the subject heading list contains several discourses pertaining to LGBTQI. In identifying these discourses, it is shown that Queerlit emphasizes sex and sexuality, while expressing ambivalence concerning temporality and intersectionalism. As for the analysis of the indexing of the two novels, the study has demonstrated that subjective interpretation is a vital part of identifying LGBTQI motifs, and that the indexing of older literature is influenced by presentism.  Conclusion. The findings prove that LGBTQI materials provide a particular set of challenges for the practice of subject heading indexing. This is largely due to the fact that LGBTQI concepts tend to be fluid, unstable, and heavily dependent on context, both within literature and intellectual thought, whereas thesauri by necessity treat documents and the language within them as stable and definitive.  This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.