AGRICOLA -- Guide to Subject Indexing

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subdivisions carries an alphanumeric notation consisting of oneletter (which remains the same within one of the 21 broad subjectareas) and three numbers. Each code also has a 'title,' known as a'section heading' (e.g., notation: J800 = section heading: SoilConservation).There are some hierarchical relationships within the scheme, e.g.:L830 Animal Diseases -- GeneralL831 Animal Diseases -- FungalL832 Animal Diseases -- BacterialL833 Animal Diseases -- ViralThe scope of each code is described by fairly lengthy notes, perhaps100 words or more. Included among these Scope Notes may becross-references indicating other codes which might be appropriateinstead of, or in addition to, the code at hand.There is an alphabetical index to the section headings and ScopeNotes.The Category Codes are used for:1. searching the database for broad subject areas, and2. arranging entries in the print version of the AGRICOLA database,the Bibliography of Agriculture.3.1.1. Assign up to three (3) Category Codes per document.3.1.2. Assign the codes in descending order of importance; use thefirst Category Code to represent the major topic discussed.(Remember that this code determines where the documentappears in the Bibliography of Agriculture.)3.1.3. Use relator codes (K001, L001, L002, L003, M001) to narrowthe focus of large categories.3.1.3.1. Never place relator codes in first position.3.1.3.2. Never use relator codes without assigning at leastone other code.3.1.4. Assign Category Codes on the basis of the subject of the workactually conducted in the study at hand; do not assign themon the basis of what the subject can be used for.3.1.5. Follow the instructions in Scope Notes that sometimes specifythe order in which certain codes should be applied.3.1.6. Never assign codes on the basis of the alphabetical index;always consult the Scope Note itself before assigning a code.3.1.7. Emphasize pests and diseases over the normal processes ofplants and animals.3.1.8. Be alert to problems in, or the need for changes to, theScope Notes. Write a brief, informal memo (on 8 1/2 x 11inch paper) to the Category Code Coordinator detailing theproblem. Keep a copy of this note in your Category Codenotebook. It will be useful when you are asked to comment onnew versions of the Scope Notes.6
3.2. CAB Thesaurus (MARC tags 650 -- subject descriptors -- and 651 --geographic descriptors)NAL uses a controlled vocabulary, the CAB Thesaurus, which iscompiled and maintained by CAB International in cooperation withNAL. This thesaurus is also used to index CAB Abstracts. Itincludes approximately 56,000 terms/phrases, of which approximately47,400 are DESCRIPTORS, or preferred terms, and 8,600 areNON-DESCRIPTORS, or lead-in vocabulary. These terms are arranged ina single alphabetical (word-by-word) sequence.Although there is a large number of precoordinated descriptors inthe thesaurus, the basic approach is that of post-coordination,where concepts are combined (coordinated) at the retrieval stagerather than at the indexing stage.Each descriptor is accompanied by a WORD BLOCK which shows thedescriptor's relationship with other descriptors in the thesaurus.There are three types of relationship represented in the wordblocks:HIERARCHICAL RELATIONSHIPSBT Broader TermNT Narrower TermThe BT/NT relationship is basically a generic/specific or part/wholerelationship, although the CAB Thesaurus does contain hierarchiesbased upon relationships other than these two.Hierarchies may contain up to seven (7) levels and all levels aredisplayed with each descriptor.ASSOCIATIVE RELATIONSHIPSrt related termThis is used to represent relationships other than hierarchical.The 'rt' relationship is approximately equivalent to a 'see also'relationship.PREFERENTIAL RELATIONSHIPSuf used forUSE useThe 'uf' and USE relationships are reciprocals of one anotheremployed to relate synonyms, quasi-synonyms, and terms which standin various other relationships to one another. The term following a'uf' designation is a non-descriptor, a non-preferred term. Theterm following a USE designation is a descriptor, a preferred term.The USE relationship is approximately equivalent to a 'see'relationship. USE instructions are not optional, and must befollowed.Two other elements may be present in a word block:- a SCOPE NOTE, which may define or limit or give instructions forthe use of a descriptor; and- a HISTORY NOTE, which indicates usage of the descriptor over time,e.g., when it was added to the thesaurus, what descriptor(s) wasused to index the concept before it was added, etc.7
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