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Dissertation Information for Oliver L. Lilley

NAME:
- Oliver L. Lilley

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Columbia University (USA) (1959)

ADVISORS:
- None

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Terminology, form, specificity, and syndetic structure of subject headings in English literature

Abstract: This study was deisgned in part to gain information about some of the inherent characteristics of the alphabetical subject-heading system; and in part to identify a few of the practices that have been responsible for developing the one variety of the system (that based on the practices of the Library of Congress), now used in many American libraries. The data consisted of subject-headings, scope-notes, and references, in the subject -area of English literature, that have been employed by 18 sources: the Boston Athenaeum catalog (1847-1862); the three editions of the American Library Association list of subject headings; the six editions of the Library of congress list; the seven editions of the Sears list; and the literature sections of the public catalog of the new york public library.

One of the findings was thata high degree of adaptability to variations of terminology, form, and specificity, and to different theories of syndetic needs, is a characteristic of the fundamental system. This indicated that the inadequacies of the subject-heading element of modern library catalogs more accurately can be attributed to the practices that have been adopted for its construction, than to any limitations imposed by its basic design.

With minor exceptions, the terminology and form of headings in this subject-area were found to be appropriate for the purposes for which they are employed. The nationality limitation adopted for this study reduced the range of specificity levels that were available for examination. but for those headings included within the sampling, the significant finding was that headings at the same level of specificity may be employed for such a wide variety of purposes that their exact used are highly upredictable on the basis of terminology and form alone.

For english literature headings, the syndetic apparatus was found to be at once the most important element, and the one least adequately provided for by modern subject- headng practices. too few- scope-notes and see-also references are employed, and too many general references, to ensure that library patrons will be able to make maximum use of the subject-heading element of the dictionary catalog.

MPACT Scores for Oliver L. Lilley

A = 15
C = 7
A+C = 22
T = 44
G = 3
W = 26
TD = 28.75
TA = 3
calculated 2008-05-09 10:35:07

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