Classification schemes

I used the set text (Hider and Harvey, 2008) to answer the following questions for Exercise 21 in topic 6 (the first exercise - finally I am attacking it after putting it off a little bit... Nearly there now, must keep the motivation up!).

1. Explain what a facet is, in bibliographic classification. It is a single concept of a subject - notation is assigned to each facet. They can be put together in ways to represent the thing they are classifying (Hider & Harvey p. 111).

2. Explain the term literary warrant. Literary warrant - controlled vocabularies only use subjects which have been used before - subjects that are in resources that currently exist (p. 101; p. 109). Bibliographic classifcation schemes are usually based on this (p. 109).

3. Identify the main difference between a general classification scheme and a special one. General classification schemes "cover all of documented knowledge" (p. 109); they try to cover everything, general information. Special classfication schemes "cover a more limited field of documented knowledge" (p. 109); they are focused on a particular area of interest, music for example.

4. Explain the following aspects of a classification scheme: schedules - these list the aspects of the classification scheme in the order in which they are arranged (p. 110). notation - the symbols which are used to represent the arrangement of the scheme (p. 110). hospitality - if new subjects/concepts are invented or gain literary warrant they can be inserted into the notation.

5. Discuss (briefly) the difference between an enumerative classification scheme and a faceted scheme and give one example that best illustrates each type of scheme. Enumerative list the subjects, grouping them together subjects which are related, or aspects within those subjects; e.g. shopping list with items grouped according to what types of food they are, or what part of the supermarket you would find them (p. 110). Faceted breaks the subjects down into single concepts (facets), then puts them together in ways to best represent the item; e.g. classifying wine according to different elements e.g. where it is from, year, grape type etc. (see p. 108) then putting these facets into a particular order using notation to represent them (p. 111).

6. Explain what citation order is. The order in which facets are added together in a faceted classification scheme (p. 111).

7. Harvey identifies two distinct purposes of classification schemes in libraries. What are they?
- providing a location for an information resource
- providing access by subject to information resources (p. 112)

8. What are the main criticisms of Dewey Decimal Classification, according to Hider?
- U.S./Western/Anglo-Saxon social and cultural bias
- Some schedules crowded - Decimal base of 10 limits hospitality
- Lack of specificity in some fields
- Notations can be long (p. 115)

I am not sure why I tool so long to motivate myself to complete this exercise! I managed to get it done quite quickly once I got going. I think what put me off, was the difficulty I was having to put the ideas into my own words. In the end I have often almost quoted directly from the book - but because I have put the page numbers in that is ok - and I do understand the concepts, which is the main aim of the exercise I do believe! So now it is time to move on to the next one as the assignment due date is looming...

Reference: Hider, P. and Harvey, R. (2008). Organising knowledge in a global society: principles and practices in libraries and information centres. Revised Ed. Wagga Wagga, NSW: Centre for Information Studies.