Classification Schemes

1.  What is a facet in bibliographical description?

Hider & Harvey (2008) explain a facet as being “a single concept of a composite subject”, that is subjects are broken down into single concepts.

2.  What is literary warrant?

Literary warrant is the “concept that controlled vocabularies should accommodate only those subjects about which documents have been produced, rather than subjects which may exist theoretically but about which no documents have yet been produced” (Hider & Harvey, 2008, p326).

3.  What is the main difference between a general classification scheme and a special one?

General classification is a “bibliographic classification scheme which aims to cover all of documented knowledge, usually developed and maintained for use in large libraries where collections cover a wide range of subjects” (Hider & Harvey, 2008, p324).

Special classification is “a bibliographic classification scheme which covers a limited field of documented knowledge” (Hider & Harvey, 2008, p328).

The major difference between these two bibliographic classification schemes if the field of documented knowledge.

4.  Explain the following aspects of a classification scheme?

Schedules:  they list concepts arranged in order of the classification.

Notation:  they are the set of symbols which represent the arrangement of the scheme.

Hospitality:  it requires that the notation should be able to accommodate new concepts or subjects by allowing their insertion into the notation.

5.  What is the difference between an enumerative classification scheme and a faceted classification schemes?

Enumerative classification schemes are those that list the subjects, grouped related subjects or aspects of that subject.

For example, a shopping list could be divided up into categories:

Foodstuffs (refrigerated), Foodstuffs (no special storage), Cleaning materials, Personal Toiletries etc.

Faceted classification schemes are where subjects are broken down into single concepts. 

For example, a DVD store needs a classification scheme to assist in their stock control.  They examine the stock and decide on their attributes:

Production Company:  Disney, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Paramount

Genre:  Family, Kids, Teenager, Horror, Comedy, Drama

Ratings:  G, PG, M, M15+, R

Each can be assigned a notation and combined in an appropriate order to represent the complete object.  We can assign the notations of D to represent Disney, K to represent Kids and G to represent the rating and so forth, so that DKG represents a G rated kids movie from Disney.

6.  What is citation order?

Citation order in a faceted classification scheme is the order in which the facets are put together.  For example, DKG = G rated Kids Disney DVD.

7.  What are the two distinct purposes of classification schemes in libraries?

According to Harvey (2008), the two distinct purposes of classification schemes in libraries are a) to provide a location for an information resource, and b) to provide access by subject to information resources.

8.  What are the main criticisms of Dewey Decimal Classification, according to Hider?

According to Hider (2008), the main critisisms of the Dewey Decimal Classification scheme are its inability to adequately represent Australian geography, the treatment of mathematics and the law.  These have been revised with an Australian input.

Hider, P (with Harvey, R) 2008, Organising Knowledge in a global society, rev. edn. Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW.