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Dissertation Information for Jay E. Daily

NAME:
- Jay E. Daily
- (Alias) Jay Elwood Daily

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Columbia University (USA) (1957)

ADVISORS:
- None

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: The grammar of subject headings: A formulation of rules for subject heading based on a syntactical and morphological analysis of the Library of Congress list

Abstract: The~ subject headings in the Library of Congress, fifth edition, 1948, were analyzed to determine the function of each grammatical form in the structure of the. list. The main headings in the list, at least 21,451, were grouped together according to the form of the heading, the marks of punctuation employed, and the Inflections of words in the list. Considerable variation of form was found, but the headings in the list may be
summarized as being 31.5 per cent one-word headings; 5.5 per cent proper names of more than one word; 5.5 per cent "events" which are distinguished from other forms in that the heading contains a date and usually the ewords "Battle", "war", etc.; 6 per cent one-word headings followed by one -
or more words in parenthesis, 4.5 per cent headings which would be counted as two-word headings except that the Library of Congress list retains a hyphened form. The remaining headings consist of two or more words, about 41 per cent of the main headings in the whole list.

The two-word headings are 34 per cent of the total number of headings in the list; 3 per cent of the headings are of three -or more words without using a preposition,
conjunction, or definite article. The remaining 10 per cent of the 'main headings use one or more of these function words, about 4.per cent include the word' "and", about 5 per cent include the prepositions "in, of, witht, and approximately 1 per cent include other prepositions. Only a few headings include the definite article, and only one was found which included the indefinite article. There are significant variations in the use of certain grammatical forms with suggested Library of Congress c,\lasslfications," but the' analysis revealed a pattern of usage such that a sample of headings based on a subject area would not lead to valid conclusions about
the whole list. Three principal uses for marks of punctuation,
other than the hyphen, and for the conjunction and prepositions were suggested by the analysis: the grouping of headings together so that the entry word is the same in various modifications, the dispersal of headings so that entry words differ but the same word is used, after the mark of punctuation, and the explanation ot
headings so that the context of the entry word is shown.
A comparison of the grammatical forms used in
seven special lists indicated that a single area of usage
could be determined for each mark ot punctuation, and on this basis rules for use of grammatical form were ,devised.
the problems or grouping and dispersal of headings suggested the need for a classified guide to supplement the alphabetic listing of headings and suggested the use of a mark of punctuation instead of prepositions and conjunctions. A special subject heading list for materials on the desegregation crisis was developed to show the application of the rules. It was not the intention of the study to revise the Library of Congress list of subject headings.

MPACT Scores for Jay E. Daily

A = 29
C = 42
A+C = 71
T = 70
G = 3
W = 32
TD = 47.25
TA = 8
calculated 2008-01-31 06:28:14

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