A.
Selecting topical subjects from the UNBIS Thesaurus (tag 650)
Once a concept has been
selected in the conceptual analysis stage, indexers should choose the
most appropriate and most specific term(s) available in the .
Complex subjects appearing in documents are analyzed and translated
into terms selected from the UNBIS Thesaurus. These terms can be
searched online individually or in any combination using Boolean logic.
Example 1:
A document on measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of
mass destruction, would be indexed as follows:
650 17 $a TERRORISM
650 17 $a WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
650 17 $a COUNTER-TERRORISM
Example 2:
The most pertinent terms for a document on links between illicit drug
trafficking, money laundering and terrorism, would be:
650 17 $a DRUG TRAFFIC
650 17 $a ILLICIT TRAFFIC
650 17 $a LAUNDERING OF FUNDS
650 17 $a TERRORISM FINANCING
In selecting concepts and
translating them into the documentary language, indexers must be aware
that
terminology in the document may differ from the UNBIS Thesaurus term
used for that concept. For instance, a document may refer to
"indigenous peoples" of the Americas, while the correct Thesaurus term
for indigenous peoples of the Americas is AMERINDIANS, not INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. A document
may refer to «statistical data», but the UNBIS Thesaurus term STATISTICAL DATA is used only
when works actually contain statistical data--otherwise the term STATISTICS is used. A document
discussing petroleum may refer to the «oil industry», but indexers
should be aware that the UNBIS Thesaurus term OIL INDUSTRIES is used only for
oils of plant or animal extraction, and that the appropriate UNBIS term
to use for petroleum-derived oils is PETROLEUM INDUSTRY. Indexers
should always check scope notes on UNBIS Thesaurus records to ensure
that terms are used correctly.
In selecting terms for
specific country names as subjects, indexers must be careful to select
the
term for the country name (tag 650),
not the Corporate Name
Authority record (tag 610).
They should also bear in mind that not all geographic names are UNBIS
Thesaurus terms; as mentioned earlier, many geographic names other than
countries and major regions are established as Geographic Subject
Authority records and not as UNBIS Thesaurus terms.
Generally, when
selecting geographic subject terms for specific cities, provinces, etc.
that include the name of a country as a qualifier, the Thesaurus term
for the country should also be selected.
Example 3:
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 17 $a DARFUR (SUDAN)
650 17 $a SUDAN
650 17 $a CRIME PREVENTION
650 17 $a NEW YORK (UNITED STATES : STATE)
650 17 $a UNITED STATES
However, some exceptions apply: if a topical term that
is linked with a subnational geographic subject (province, city, district,
etc.) does not apply to the country but only to the subnational area, then the
geographic term for the country is not assigned in addition to the
subnational term– or it should be linked with a different topical term that
makes logical sense.
Example 4:
650 17 $a FOREIGN RELATIONS
650
17 $a GEORGIA
650
17 $a RUSSIAN FEDERATION
650
17 $a POLITICAL STATUS
650
17 $a ABKAHAZIA (GEORGIA)
In
the above example, the subnational geographic term ABKHAZIA (GEORGIA) is linked
with the term POLITICAL STATUS. The national terms GEORGIA
and RUSSIAN FEDERATION
are not linked with POLITICAL STATUS but with a term that makes logical sense
(FOREIGN RELATIONS).
Example 5:
650 17 $a SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE
650
17 $a NEW YORK (N.Y.)
650
17 $a GENEVA (SWITZERLAND)
650
17 $a VIENNA (AUSTRIA)
650
17 $a DUTY STATIONS
In the above example, the
document concerns rates of subsistence allowance at Ãå±±½ûµØHeadquarters, Geneva and Vienna.
The topic does not apply to the national geographic terms (UNITED STATES,
SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA)
so they are not added in addition to the subnational geographic terms.
Indexers achieve weighted
subject indexing by assigning value 1 for primary (main) subjects and value 2 for secondary subjects to the first
indicator of 650 tags (topical
subjects). It applies only to 650
tags. All 650 tags must be
designated as either primary or secondary, and primary subjects must
always precede secondary subjects. Indexers may choose to assign only
primary subjects to a record, and it is also possible to assign only
secondary subjects (for instance, when the main subjects of a document
are not topical subjects but corporate subjects recorded as 610 subject headings).
Note:
Weighted subject indexing was initiated in 1999, so in earlier records
indexers will find tag 650
subjects with first indicator value 0.
1. Primary subject terms
2. Secondary subject terms
1. Primary subject terms
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Primary subject terms
should reflect
the main overall subject(s) or contents of a work as specifically as
the indexing language permits. Normally a maximum of five primary
subjects (excluding geographic
subjects) is desirable.
When the primary subjects assigned to a work
include geographic subjects, indexers must consider the linkage with
non-geographic primary subjects. Part A (ii),
Geographic linkage of subjects, provides guidelines on linking
primary geographic subjects with primary topical subjects.
When the main subject of a
work is a treaty, declaration or other instrument, or a working group,
conference or other entity, assign the term TREATIES, DECLARATIONS, WORKING GROUPS, CONFERENCES, etc. in addition to the term representing the topic (tag 650) and the appropriate title, corporate or conference subject heading (tag 610, 611 or 630).
Examples:
191 $a CTOC/COP/2008/CRP.3
245 10 $a Status
of ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Crime and the Protocols thereto, as at 1st October 2008
630 07 $a Ãå±±½ûµØConvention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000)
630 07 $a Ãå±±½ûµØConvention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000). Protocols, etc.
650 17 $a TRANSNATIONAL CRIME
650 17 $a ORGANIZED CRIME
650 17 $a TREATIES
650 17 $a SIGNATURES, ACCESSIONS, RATIFICATIONS
191 $a A/HRC/RES/8/6
245 10 $a Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
610 27 $a UN. Human Rights Council. Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers $g Terms of reference
650 17 $a JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE
650 17 $a SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS
191 $a E/CN.4/RES/6(XVII)
245 10 $a Freedom from Prejudice and Discrimination Year and Day
630 07 $a International Year of Freedom from Prejudice and Discrimination (Proposed)
630 07 $a International Day of Freedom from Prejudice and Discrimination (Proposed)
650 17 $a PREJUDICES
650 17 $a DISCRIMINATION
650 17 $a INTERNATIONAL YEARS
650 17 $a INTERNATIONAL DAYS
191 $a A/56/152
245 10 $a Preparations for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing : $b report of the Secretary-General
611 27 $a World Assembly on Ageing (2nd : 2002 : Madrid) $g Work organization
630 07 $a Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002)
650 17 $a AGEING
650 17 $a AGEING PERSONS
650 17 $a PROGRAMMES OF ACTION
650 17 $a CONFERENCES
2. Secondary subject terms
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top
The assignment of secondary subject terms is directly
related to the indexing principle of exhaustivity. Secondary subjects
serve several useful purposes: they improve recall in searches,
allowing users to search below the level of the work as a whole and
ensuring that a maximum number of documents relevant to a search will
be retrieved; they allow users to differentiate between records that
have the same or similar titles or the same primary subject(s); they
provide more specificity, and reflect various aspects of a topic. They
are also useful in providing access to special types of information
contained in documents (e.g. statistical data, model forms,
questionnaires, etc.).
The assignment of
secondary subject terms tends to be more subjective and variable than
the assignment of primary subject terms. While there is no arbitrary
number of subject terms that may be assigned by an indexer, it depends
on several factors, such as the type of work and the subject matter.
For instance, when a document deals with one of the UN's main subject
areas for which a very large body of documentation exists (such as
development, human rights, peacekeeping or international security),
secondary subjects are assigned for the various specific sub-topics
that would normally be brought out as primary subjects of other works.
The number of secondary subjects assigned may vary depending upon the
type of document: for instance, Ãå±±½ûµØresolutions and decisions are
assigned secondary topical subjects for every significant operative
paragraph in addition to the primary subject(s) for the resolution or
decision as a whole; substantive reports with chapters on different
sub-topics may have secondary subjects assigned for each chapter in
addition to the primary subject(s) assigned for the report as a whole;
secondary subjects may be assigned to meeting records for topics
discussed at the meeting in addition to the primary subject(s) for the
meeting as a whole.
It is possible to assign only secondary topical subject terms (tag 650 first indicator 2) to a document. This occurs, for
example, when the main subject of a document is represented by a corporate
subject heading in tag 610, and
secondary level subject terms may be assigned for additional information in the
document.
Example:
191 $a CERD/C/74/1
245 10 $a Provisional agenda and annotations : $b Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 74th
session, Geneva,
16 February-6 March 2009
: note / $c by the Secretary-General
500 $a "Annex: Tentative timetable for consideration of reports, comments
and further information submitted by States parties and for consideration of
States parties whose reports are seriously overdue pursuant to the review
procedure": p. 5-7.
610 27 $a UN. Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination (74th sess. : 2009 : Geneva) $g Agenda
650 27 $a RACE
RELATIONS
650 27 $a PERIODIC REPORTS
[In this example, the main
subject of the document is the agenda and is represented by the corporate
subject heading in tag 610; secondary subject terms are added for information
about periodic reports contained in an annex]
For more
guidance on weighted indexing for specific types of documents and
publications see the .
ii. Geographic linkage of subjects (tag
650)
Geographic and topical
subject terms are assigned to documents separately but may be
coordinated for printed products through the formatting programmes.
When geographic and topical subjects are determined to be the main
subjects of a document (see part A (i), Weighted indexing), the indexer assigns the primary topical
subject(s) first, followed immediately by the primary geographic
subject(s). Topical subjects added subsequently do not coordinate with
preceding geographic subjects.
For example, if the database
record reads:
Example
1:
650 17 $a ENERGY POLICY
650 17 $a SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
650 17 $a EUROPE
650 17 $a ENERGY SECURITY
The geographic
subject EUROPE will
coordinate (link)
with the primary topical subjects preceding it, but not with those
following it, so that the index entries in printed products will appear
as:
ENERGY
POLICY
ENERGY
SECURITY
EUROPE
- - ENERGY POLICY
EUROPE
- - SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY
Since primary topical
subjects that precede primary geographic subjects
are linked with the geographic subjects following them, a logical order
should be considered when assigning primary topical and geographic
subjects. For instance, indexers should avoid linking terms at an
international or regional level (e.g. GLOBALIZATION, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS,
REGIONAL COOPERATION,
etc.) with country-level geographic subjects.
Example
2:
650 17 $a FOREIGN TRADE
650 17 $a TRADE POLICY
650 17 $a ZAMBIA
650 17 $a INTRAREGIONAL TRADE
650 17 $a AFRICA
650 17 $a MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS
Indexers should avoid
geographic linkage with terms of a politically sensitive nature; terms
of an abstract nature; terms for very general concepts or general
principles, theories or methodologies; terms that serve as qualifiers
or subheadings for other terms and would not make sense linked with a
geographic subject.
Examples of the type of
topical subject terms that would not
be linked with geographic terms: all "ASPECTS" terms (ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS, CULTURAL ASPECTS, DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS, ECONOMIC ASPECTS, etc.), ACCOUNTABILITY, AGGRESSION, APARTHEID, CLIMATE CHANGE, DECOLONIZATION, ECONOMETRICS, EQUALITY, FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS, FINANCING, FORCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,
GLOBAL WARNING,
INTERNATIONAL
OBLIGATIONS, INTERVENTION,
JUSTICE, MATHEMATICAL
MODELS, MEASUREMENT,
PEACE, PRINCIPLES, STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY.
Usually a more specific
term exists that could be linked with the geographic subject in lieu of
the sensitive, abstract, etc., term. In cases where no appropriate term
can logically be linked with the geographic subject, the indexer may
choose to record the primary geographic subject term first, without
preceding it by any topical subject term. In some cases, only
geographic subject term(s) would be needed.
Example:
191 $a A/RES/59/1A
245 10 $a Scale of assessments for the
apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations
610 27 $a Ãå±±½ûµØ$g Budget contributions
650 17 $a CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
650 17 $a COMOROS
650 17 $a IRAQ
No topical subject terms precede
geographic subject terms: no geographic linkage
Visualizing the way
primary subject terms will appear in printed subject indexes helps
indexers decide on appropriate and logical linkage with geographic
subject terms.
Example:
245 10 $a Measuring Australia’s human capital
650 17 $a HUMAN RESOURCES
650 17 $a AUSTRALIA
650 17 $a MEASUREMENT
650 17 $a STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
In printed alphabetic
subject indexes, the resulting subject headings will appear as:
AUSTRALIA –
HUMAN RESOURCES
HUMAN RESOURCES
MEASUREMENT
STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
The coordinated subject
heading AUSTRALIA – HUMAN
RESOURCES would be appropriate geographic linkage.
However, if the indexer links the terms MEASUREMENT and STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY with AUSTRALIA by recording the
topical subject terms before the geographic subject term:
650 17 $a HUMAN RESOURCES
650 17 $a MEASUREMENT
650 17 $a STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
650 17 $a AUSTRALIA
The coordinated geographic
subject headings AUSTRALIA –
MEASUREMENT and AUSTRALIA
– STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY will appear in the printed subject
index, which would be inappropriate and not useful as subject headings
since the terms MEASUREMENT
and STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
refer to methodologies in general.
Since the Thesaurus
terms CLIMATE CHANGE and GLOBAL WARMING refer to global
phenomena, they are not linked with primary geographic subject terms.
For documents concerning effects of global climate change in specific
geographic areas, link other appropriate subject terms with primary
geographic subjects, e.g. ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY, ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION, ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION, etc., followed by the primary subject CLIMATE CHANGE.
Example:
245 10 $a Enhancing the regional SEE cooperation
in the field of climate change
650 17 $a ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
650 17 $a ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
650 17 $a REGIONAL COOPERATION
650 17 $a SOUTHEAST EUROPE
650 17 $a CLIMATE CHANGE
Consistency in the
way topical subjects are linked with geographic subjects is important
to avoid scattering of citations in printed subject indexes.
In
general, the indexer should link «neutral» terms with country-level
geographic subjects instead of «negative» terms relating to human
rights violations.
Example 3:
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 17 $a MYANMAR
650 17 $a PRISONER TREATMENT
650 17 $a TURKEY
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
650 17 $a TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT
The
following are examples of «negative» terms, mainly in the area of human
rights violations, that generally should not be linked with geographic
subjects.
- ARBITRARY DETENTION (related
terms that might be linked instead: ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION, DETAINED
PERSONS, DETENTION CENTRES, PREVENTIVE DETENTION, PRISONER TREATMENT,
etc.)
- DISCRIMINATION
(the indexer could link terms for the groups that are being discussed,
e.g. DISABLED PERSONS, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, MINORITIES, RELIGIOUS
GROUPS, ROMA, etc.)
- EXTRALEGAL
EXECUTIONS (the term ARMED
INCIDENTS is often linked instead)
- GENDER
DISCRIMINATION (related terms
that might be linked instead: GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, WOMEN'S
STATUS, etc.)
- GENOCIDE (never linked geographicly; non-linking
subjects could be used such as RWANDA SITUATION)
- HUMAN
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS (the term
HUMAN RIGHTS is linked instead)
- MASSACRES
(the term
ARMED INCIDENTS is often linked instead)
- RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION (related terms
that might be linked instead: ANTI-RACISM STRATEGIES, BLACKS, ETHNIC
AND RACIAL GROUPS, RACE RELATIONS)
- TORTURE
AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT
(terms PRISONER TREATMENT, TORTURE PREVENTION are often linked instead)
Note: The
following terms are not geographic subjects
and do not link with topical subjects. When used as primary subjects,
they should never be followed by primary geographic subjects:
- ARAB COUNTRIES;
TERRITORIES
OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL;
- all terms consisting of a geographic name followed by
the word «Question», e.g. PALESTINE
QUESTION, WESTERN SAHARA
QUESTION, etc.;
- all terms consisting of a geographic name followed by
the word «Situation», e.g. LEBANON
SITUATION, RWANDA
SITUATION, etc.
iii. When to propose new Thesaurus terms (for
tag 650)
If the document is on a
more specific topic than any existing term available in the UNBIS
Thesaurus, the indexer should consider proposing a new term, through
their designated focal points, especially when:
- other terms in that subject field at an equivalent
level of specificity
are already in the Thesaurus, e.g. proposed term SATURN (EARTH, JUPITER, etc. already in the
Thesaurus) or proposed term RAIL
TRAFFIC (ROAD TRAFFIC,
AIR TRAFFIC,
etc. already in the Thesaurus);
- the concept has begun to appear in a number of works,
e.g. HUMAN SECURITY;
- the concept is the main subject of Ãå±±½ûµØresolutions,
e.g. RIGHT TO THE TRUTH;
- no term or combination of terms existing in the
Thesaurus can adequately represent the concept, e.g. INTERNATIONAL LAW FRAGMENTATION;
- the immediately broader term is heavily used in the
database, e.g. ANCHORS
(BT TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT)
Terminology is not
static, but changes and evolves over time. In addition to proposing new
terms when needed, indexers may consider requesting changes to existing
terms or scope notes when the terminology appearing in documents
differs significantly from an established UNBIS Thesaurus term or its
scope.
While a thesaurus is
not a dictionary and should not be expected to systematically define
terms, scope notes can be very helpful to both indexers and users
whenever the meaning of terms is ambiguous, their usage is not clear,
or when it is difficult to distinguish between very similar terms.
Indexers may also suggest cross-references and related term
relationships that they feel would be helpful.
Maintained by
the Department of Public Information (DPI), Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
Comments as well as suggestions for further additions/enhancements may
be directed to the Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
© United Nations 2005-2009. All rights reserved.
Last updated: 6 July 2009
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