On Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 7:40 AM, Simon Spero <s...@unc.edu> wrote:
The main study on this subject was the Michigan study performed/led
by Karen
Markey (some reports were written as Karen M. Drabenstott. The
final report
of the project is available at
http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/57992 . The work took
place in
the mid to late 90s, after Airlie .
...
The most perplexing results were those that showed that measured
understanding was lower when headings were displayed in the context
of a
bibliographic record rather than on their own. This indicates either
a
problem in the measurement process, or an either more fundamental
problem
with subdivided headings that may so negate the significant
theoretical
advantages of pre-coordination that the value of the whole practice
is
thrown in to doubt.
That is fascinating. And disturbing. I don't think I ever read the
original study, but now I'll have to.
Touching on another topic, I believe that the movement of
geographical
subdivisions to follow the right most geographically sub-dividable
subdivision can sometimes be interrupted by the interposition of a
$x
topical subdivision, but I haven't determined whether this is a
legacy
exception (the ones that came to mind were related to subtopics of
the US
Civil War, which seems inevitable given that the first elements are
"United
States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--").
I think the key here is partly "In 1992, it was decided to adopt that
order where it could be applied." so LC didn't promise to do them all.
$x History is probably the biggest one that hasn't been made
geographically subdividable, but it's hard to say if that's on principle
or because of practical concerns about the huge amount of disruption
that would cause in individual systems. It's interesting that some of
the biggies like "economic aspects" are more recent.
One of the challenges for pre-coordinated strings at least as currently
implemented (that facets evade) is that no order will suit everyone.
Which of the following is better?
Dwellings $z Australia $x History $y 20th century
Dwellings $z Indonesia $x Economic aspects
Dwellings $z Indonesia $x Psychological aspects
Dwellings $z Indonesia $x Social aspects
Dwellings $z Ireland $x Economic aspects
Dwellings $z Ireland $x Psychological aspects
Dwellings $z Ireland $x Social aspects
Dwellings $z Japan $x Economic aspects
Dwellings $z Japan $x Psychological aspects
Dwellings $z Japan $x Social aspects
OR (mostly current practice)
*Dwellings $z Australia $x History $y 20th century **Current practice
Dwellings $x Economic aspects $z Indonesia
Dwellings $x Economic aspects $z Ireland
Dwellings $x Economic aspects $z Japan
*Dwellings $x History $z Australia $y 20th century **Airlie
recommendation
Dwellings $x Psychological aspects $z Indonesia
Dwellings $x Psychological aspects $z Ireland
Dwellings $x Psychological aspects $z Japan
Dwellings $x Social aspects $z Indonesia
Dwellings $x Social aspects $z Ireland
Dwellings $x Social aspects $z Japan
Probably not helpful to have history be an outlier, though.
Kelley
