Subject languages part 2:

1. Subject languages part 2: Structure INF 384 C, Fall 2009

2. Structure of subject languages • Alphabetical representation and classified representation. • Synthetic structure and enumerative structure. • Parallel hierarchies and facets. INF 384 C, Fall 2009

3. Examples of alphabetic representation Architecture Art Biology Chemistry Engineering Fine arts Life sciences Architecture BT Fine arts NT Landscape architecture Biology BT Life sciences NT Evolutionary biology, molecular biology INF 384 C, Fall 2009

4. Example of classified representation Arts and sciences Fine arts Visual art Architecture Landscape architecture Music Sciences Life sciences Biology • New York Times information architecture INF 384 C, Fall 2009

5. Examples of synthetic structure In Ranganathan’s Colon Classification, subjects are constructed by arranging concepts from the facets Personality, Matter, Energy, Space, and Time (PMEST). In the Dewey Decimal Classification, geographic information is appended to a class name by means of standard tables. Topical example from Dewey blog: 368.85400973 Bank deposit insurance—United States The number is built with 368.854 plus 0 (extra 0 for standard subdivisions as instructed in the add table under 368.1–368.8 Specific kinds of insurance) plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—73 United States. INF 384 C, Fall 2009

6. Example of enumerative structure Warburg Institute classification: Image hierarchy main classes Primitive Art, Oriental Art, Classical Archaeology, Classical Topography, Classical Iconography, Numismatics, Greek Art, Roman Art, History of Art, Sources of the History of Art, Art Interpretation, Aesthetics, Topography, Iconography, Survival Of Ancient Art, Early Christian & Byzantine Art, Illuminated Manuscripts, Italian Art, Spanish Art, French Art, Flemish & Dutch Art, British Art, German Art, Scandinavian Art, Applied Arts, Art Collecting, 19th & 20th Century Art INF 384 C, Fall 2009

7. Examples of parallel hierarchies From the Eurovoc thesaurus, used to describe EU government documents: 04 POLITICS 0406 political framework 0411 political party 0416 electoral procedure and voting 0421 parliament 0426 parliamentary proceedings 0431 politics and public safety 0436 executive power and public service 08 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 0806 international affairs 0811 cooperation policy 0816 international balance 0821 defence 10 EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 1006 Community institutions and European civil service 1011 European Union law 1016 European construction 1021 Community finance INF 384 C, Fall 2009

8. Examples of facets In the Bliss Bibliographic Classification (BBC v.2), the Human Biology and Medicine field is organized into the following facets: • Types of persons • Parts and systems of the person • Processes in the person • Actions on the person • Agents of actions A document whose subject is nursing for children with cancer would be described as: (Type of person) Paediatrics - (Processes) - Pathological - Cancer - (Actions on) Nursing Example from Bliss Classification Association: http://www.blissclassification.org.uk/bchist.htm INF 384 C, Fall 2009

9. Internal structure of subject languages • Hierarchical relationships. • Equivalence relationships. • Associative relationships. INF 384 C, Fall 2009

10. Scope of hierarchical relationships Universal hierarchies (mammal -> dog). Always true! Perspective hierarchies (pet -> dog, or work animal -> dog, or food -> dog). Only true under a certain point of view or certain conditions. Can a subject language ever attain universality? INF 384 C, Fall 2009

11. Types of hierarchical relationships Genus-species Follow the all-some rule—X is a type of Y if all X’s are Y’s but only some Y’s are X’s: all dogs are mammals but not all mammals are dogs. All the sibling concepts should follow the same principle of division and be mutually exclusive, or multiple principles of division should be elucidated through the structure. Whole-part Often treated as associative relationships in subject languages. A few exceptions: • Systems and organs of the body • Geographical locations • Disciplines and subdisciplines • Hierarchical social structures Instance Not types but instances: they involve proper names (Seas: Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea). Not part of your subject language! INF 384 C, Fall 2009

12. Examples of genus-species relationships Single principle of division Programming languages Declarative languages Functional languages Imperative languages Object-oriented languages Procedural languages • Multiple principles of division • People • (by family role) • mothers • fathers • children • (by occupation) • opera singers • information professionals • mushroom hunters INF 384 C, Fall 2009

13. A negative example Unclear principles of division Paintings Portraits Renaissance paintings Oil paintings Cave paintings Impressionist paintings Landscapes Murals • These concepts do indeed describe types of paintings, but they represent multiple perspectives on painting. • Mixing principles of division like this makes the structure difficult to understand and browse. (If we did need to place an item in one location, it would be impossible, as well.) INF 384 C, Fall 2009

14. A better example Paintings paintings by representational focus Portraits Landscape paintings by style Renaissance paintings Impressionist paintings paintings by materials used Oil paintings paintings by means of support Cave paintings Murals These might be separate facets for a classification of paintings: Representational focus Style Materials Means of support INF 384 C, Fall 2009

15. Trees According to Kwasnik, a tree is a looser form that shows a consistent principle of organization, but does not have the strict rules of inheritance and so forth that hierarchies have. Example: Grandparents Parents Children INF 384 C, Fall 2009

16. Examples of subject languages • Warburg Institute classification. • Alcohol and Other Drugs thesaurus. INF 384 C, Fall 2009

17. Assignment components Introduction. Classified representation. Alphabetical representation. Reflective essay. INF 384 C, Fall 2009

18. Example: Garden decor An excerpt of a classified structure for an “expressive gardening” classification that includes “garden decor” as a concept: Principles of garden expression creativity unity Means of garden expression plant selection garden design garden decor INF 384 C, Fall 2009

19. Example: Garden decor An excerpt of an alphabetical structure for an “expressive gardening” classification that includes “garden decor” as a concept: garden decor broader term: means of garden expression definition: non-plant materials that add visual interest and, potentially, functionality(such as a place to sit) to the garden space. Benches, garden sculpture, and windchimes are all elements of garden decor. scope note:Documents that describe elements of garden decor, advise on their purchase, and explain their use should all be indexed with this term. Documents that describe the principles by which decor is selected and placed should be indexed under the principle. Non-plant materials that are used to facilitate plant growth or structure (such as arbors) are considered plant support, not decor. INF 384 C, Fall 2009

20. Your mission • Continue doing research to define the subject. • Continue compiling a list of potential concepts to include in your classification. • For each potential concept, why should it be there? What is your basis for making this decision? • Start thinking about how your concepts might be structured, and how likely concepts should be defined and used. INF 384 C, Fall 2009