Subject

Definition

The subjects or topics that succinctly describe the content of the resource.

Where Can the Subject Information be Found?

In some cases, subjects may come from accompanying or supplementary information; generally the item must be read/examined to assign subjects and keywords, such as:

Item Types

Information Sources

For text

  • titles

  • abstracts

  • tables of contents

  • section/chapter headings

  • introduction/scope statements/text content

For images

  • notes on bottom or back of a photograph

  • visible items (people, surroundings, objects, etc.)

  • illustrations

For maps

  • statement in a caption

  • notes around the outside of the map

  • geographic area and time period of the map (content)

For music scores

  • title page or header

  • table of contents

  • lyrics

For videos

  • label on disc

  • container cover

  • title screens or content

For sound files

  • information on disc/cassette

  • container information

  • content of audio

For computer files

  • title page/screen

  • text of document (content)

How Subject Works in the Metadata Form

Screenshot of subject element in metadata editing system.

Parts:

  1. Subject qualifier – drop-down menu

  2. Subject – text field

Repeatable?

Yes - to include multiple subjects, click ‘Add’ to repeat all field parts

Required?

Yes - two subject terms are required (more information)

How Should the Subject be Filled in?

General Subject/Keyword Rules

  • Information in the subject field should describe what the content is “about” answering questions like: who, what, where, and when

  • Add as many terms as necessary to capture subject content:

    • Two subjects (any type) are required, but an average of five subject/keyword entries is recommended (number varies depending on content)

    • Avoid terms that are too general to describe a particular item

    • Only include geographic subjects when the particular place is significant to the content

    • Generally do not repeat information that is represented in other fields (e.g., material/resource type, geographic names that are identical to coverage locations)

    • The use of controlled vocabularies is not required (except UNTL-BS terms for items in the Portal)

  • Proper names can be subjects (persons, places, titles, etc.)

  • Follow the general formatting rules for consistency:

    • Use appropriate capitalization, punctuation, etc. depending on the type of subject

    • Terms from controlled vocabularies must use the exact formatting prescribed by the source

    • Choose the appropriate subject type from the controlled vocabulary

Keywords and Phrases (KWD)

Formatting Keywords

Guideline

Examples

  • Add informal keywords as needed to help users locate the resource

  • Do not repeat terms from controlled vocabularies as keywords

puppies

  • Keywords should be lowercase

costumes

  • Only capitalize proper nouns

Cretaceous geologic period

  • Use punctuation when applicable

long-range planning

  • If needed, including multiple versions with different spacing/punctuation

  • man-made lakes

  • manmade lakes

  • Do not add quotation marks to titles

Romeo and Juliet

  • Use plural forms of keywords

clothespins

  • The singular form may be used when there is no reasonable plural

quilting

When referring to a company, organization, school, military installation, etc., the abbreviated version of the name can be used, but the full name must appear at least once in the record (e.g., the content description or subject)

  • Description: Postcard of buildings at Ft. McIntosh.

  • Keyword: Fort McIntosh

UNT

Prefer applicable controlled terms when they are readily- available (e.g., for more specific material information)

  • LCGFT: Portraits

  • TGM: Cabinet photographs

  • Keyword: quarterly reports

Assigning Keywords

  • When assigning keywords, keep in mind that they should help users find the item you’re describing and also help the item be found with other, similar items

  • Follow all formatting guidelines (e.g., generally lowercase and plural)

  • Here are some suggestions:

Guideline

Instead of:

Consider:

Keep keywords short – break up long, complex phrases

ACI service awards for Austin and Dallas airports

  • Airport Council International

  • ACI

  • service awards

  • airports

crude oil and petroleum products markets

  • crude oil

  • oil products

  • petroleum products

  • fuel markets

Split up proper names and abbreviations/acronyms

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

  • National Environmental Policy Act

  • NEPA

Remove unnecessary articles

the DREAM Act

DREAM Act

Reorder words to create shorter phrases, when appropriate

disposal of waste

waste disposal

books in astronomy

astronomy books

Every keyword should have a noun

horseback

  • horseback riding

  • horseback riders

Add descriptors if the term is extremely vague

processing

  • data processing

  • grain processing

  • water processing

  • financial processing

  • agricultural processing

Named Animals (namedAnimal)

  • If an identified pet or other animal is visible in a photo or a primary subject of a text, the name can be added as a “Named Animal”

Guideline

Examples

Include the name exactly as written/punctuated

Rolph

Dox Happy Rx

Bit O’Man

Named Persons (named_person)

  • ‘Named persons’ refers to people who are significant in some way to the content of the item (see below for clarification)

  • Only include names as ‘named persons’ if a surname is known

  • If only a first name, first and middle names, or nickname is known:

    • Use the name in the content description (if relevant)

    • Use the name in the title (if relevant)

  • All names should have the same format:

Guideline

Examples

Invert the name (Last, First Middle)

Lott, Leanna Ivory

Use any known part of the name, including initials) if the full name is unknown

Thompson, J. D.

Include additional names as middle names

Williams, Mary Deline Xenia Buchanan

Names that are hyphenated or have multiple parts are all considered “last names”

  • Smith-Jones, John

  • van Tyen, Jan

  • Include known titles before the first name (optional when not necessary to identify the specific person, as these may change over time)

  • Include known suffixes at the end of the name after a second comma

  • Steever, Col. Edgar Z.

  • Petersen, Mrs. P. J.

  • Stolte, Hugo C., Jr.

Nicknames can be included in parentheses at the end of the name

Wind, Ellis (Pee Wee)

If a person has an alternate name or alias, include their real name under “named person” and aliases as keywords

  • Named Person: Cody, William Frederick

  • Keyword: Buffalo Bill

  • If an authorized name (from the Library of Congress ) is known, it may be used in the named person entry

  • Alternately, if the authorized version does not include information (such as “Jr.”) that could be helpful, it may be included as an LCSH term, with fuller version in named person

Named Person: Austin, Stephen F. (Stephen Fuller), 1793-1836

  • LCSH: Johnson, Lady Bird, 1912-2007

  • Named Person: Johnson, Claudia Alta Taylor (Lady Bird)

If a person is identified with both a married name and a prior name, include a separate named person entry for each surname

  • Buchanan, Menvil Mae

  • Seastrunk, Menvil Mae

Should someone be a ‘named person’?

  • For images, the person must physically be part of the content

  • For text, part of the content must be “about” the person

  • Here are some general guidelines:

Named Person

Not a Named Person

Instead:

Person definitely identified in a photograph

Person hesitantly identified (S. M. Garvin?)

Add name as a keyword

Person is not physically visible in a photograph

Statue or likeness of a person

Plaintiff or defendant in a court case

Person mentioned once in court transcript

(Not included)

Person who is the subject of an entire or significant portion of a book

Person mentioned in a paragraph or two of a book

(Not included)

Author of an autobiography

Author of texts not about themselves

Add author as creator (or contributor)

Personal author and addressee of a letter

Person mentioned in passing in a letter

(Not included)

UNT Libraries Browse Subjects (UNTL-BS)

  • UNTL-BS terms are used for records in The Portal to Texas History

  • For records about Portal objects, include at least one subject (preferably more) from the UNT Libraries Browse Structure

  • Choose as many appropriate terms as necessary from the UNTL-BS list

Guideline

Examples

Terms in the UNTL browse subjects are separated by a single dash and spaces (Term - Term)

Sports and Recreation - Riding - Bulls

  • For subject strings that have several levels, do not include each part separately – only use the most specific or relevant string(s)

  • For example, not:

    • Social Life and Customs and

    • Social Life and Customs - Customs and

    • Social Life and Customs - Customs - Weddings

Social Life and Customs - Customs - Weddings

  • Only use UNTL-BS terms starting with “Places” when:

    • The place itself is important to the content of the item – i.e., it is “about” the place” – such as a map or travel book

    • The place is not duplicated in the coverage place field – such as U.S. regions or historic locations that are in the UNTL-BS but cannot be coverage places

    • And/or there are not other, more relevant terms

Places - United States - Midwestern Region

Places - Republic of Texas

Note: Additional subjects are added to the UNTL-BS when there are enough items to warrant it, so the number of subjects is consistently growing. If you would like to suggest a new subject, please notify Hannah Tarver (hannah.tarver@unt.edu).

Subjects from Other Established Thesauri or Controlled Vocabularies

  • The UNT Libraries schema supports a number of controlled vocabularies and encourages the use of any readily-available subjects (e.g., from established thesauri or discipline-related word lists) that would be helpful for users

  • Editors are never required to include terms from external controlled vocabularies

  • When included, the vocabulary used should be identified for each term

  • Do not use terms that duplicate resource types, e.g., “Photographs”

  • If the name of the controlled vocabulary is not in the list, choose “other” and notify the metadata administrators

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)

Guideline

Examples

  • Subject strings must be formulated according to Library of Congress rules

  • Terms are separated by a double dash (Term – Term)

  • Bee culture -- Equipment and supplies

  • Fort Wolters (Tex.)

  • Capote, Truman, 1924-

  • If the item has been previously described in a library catalog record, that may be a good source of relevant subjects

  • You may need to tweak the formatting depending on how the subjects are displayed

Costume -- China -- History -- Ming-Qing dynasties, 1368-1912

  • Generally prefer terms that don’t duplicate other information, e.g.:

    • Consider leaving out geographic subdivisions that overlap with coverage place(s)

    • Use separate LCGFT terms rather than form subdivisions

  • LCSH: Texas. Department of Transportation -- Evaluation

  • LCGFT: Periodicals

  • LCGFT: Annual reports

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT)

  • If there are relevant genre/form terms (e.g., taken from an LCSH subject string), they may be added as subjects

  • Note that unlike other subjects, these terms describe the physical item or type of content rather than what the item is about

Guideline

Examples

  • Subject terms must come from the LCGFT thesaurus

  • Add one (or more) terms if they add more information

  • Do not add LCGFT terms that only duplicate the resource type (e.g., Photographs or Postcards)

  • Terms that provide more specific information may be included (e.g., type of map, book, photo)

Blank forms

Greeting cards

Cadastral maps

Handbooks and manuals

Statistics

Other Examples:

Navy pamphlet: The Texas Navy.

  • UNTL-BS: Military and Wars - Wars - Texas Revolution

  • UNTL-BS: Military and War - Transportation - Ships

  • LCSH: Texas -- History, Naval

  • LCSH: Texas -- History -- Republic, 1836-1846

  • KWD: independence

  • KWD: battleships

  • KWD: schooners

  • KWD: naval vessels

  • KWD: Nimitz

Photograph: [Look-out Tower at Fort Davis]

  • LCSH: New Deal, 1933-1939

  • LCSH: Davis Mountain State Park (Tex.)

  • UNTL-BS: Architecture - Civil Works

  • UNTL-BS: Landscape and Nature - State and National Parks

  • KWD: Civilian Conservation Corps

  • KWD: overlooks

  • KWD: scenery

  • KWD: mountains

  • KWD: deserts

Photograph: Jim Goin and Mr. [Fred] Cummings. Ice delivery in Aubrey

  • UNTL-BS: People - Individuals

  • UNTL-BS: Business, Economics and Finance - Transportation - Automobiles

  • KWD: cars

  • KWD: wagons

  • named_person: Goin, Jim

  • named_person: Cummings, Mr. Fred

Letter to Cromwell Anson Jones, 19 May 1869

  • UNTL-BS: People - Individuals - Mary Jones

  • UNTL-BS: Social Life and Customs - Correspondence

  • LCGFT: Personal correspondence

  • LCSH: Jones, Mary Smith McCrory, 1819-1907

  • named_person: Jones, Cromwell Anson

Map of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway

  • UNTL-BS: Landscape and Nature - Geography and Maps

  • UNTL-BS: Business, Economics and Finance - Transportation - Railroads

  • LCSH: Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway

Texian Campaigne plate

  • UNTL-BS: Military and War - Wars - Mexican War

  • UNTL-BS: Social Life and Customs - Furnishings - Dishes

  • NMC (Chenhall’s): Food T&E

  • NMC (Chenhall’s): Tools & Equipment for Materials

  • KWD: ceramics

  • KWD: plates

  • KWD: Texian Campaigne

Surgical Scalpel, 19th Century

  • UNTL-BS: Science and Technology

  • OTH: Devices, Medical

  • KWD: surgical knife

  • KWD: surgical knives

Thesis: An 8-step program: Shaping and fixed-time food delivery effects on several approximations and undesired responses in goats

  • LCSH: Clicker training (Animal training)

  • LCSH: Goats -- Training

  • LCSH: Operant conditioning

  • KWD: shaping

Music score: Daisy: Opera in Two Acts

  • LCSH: Low, Juliette Gordon, 1860-1927 -- Drama

  • LCSH: Girl Scouts

  • LCSH: Operas

  • LCGFT: Scores

  • KWD: Girl Scouts of America

  • KWD: music

  • KWD: conductors

  • KWD: voices

  • KWD: instruments

Photograph: [Portrait of Jessie Bogle Hubbard]

  • LCSH: Bogle family

  • UNTL-BS: People - Individuals

  • UNTL-BS: Social Life and Customs - Customs - Weddings

  • KWD: wedding dresses

  • LCGFT: Portraits

  • named_person: Bogle, Jessie

  • named_person: Hubbard, Jessie Bogle

Architectural Drawing: Elementary School Building, Fort Stockton, Texas: Ceiling Plans

  • LCSH: Public schools – Designs and plans

  • UNTL-BS: Architecture - Buildings

  • UNTL-BS: Education - Schools - Buildings

  • AAT: elementary schools (buildings)

  • KWD: Fort Stockton Independent School District

Comments

  • Since the “subject and keywords” element may describe both what the object is about and the format in some cases, subject-related information may be repeated in other elements:

    • An image with a Resource Type “Photograph” could have a more specific subject term such as “cabinet card,” (keyword), “Panoramic photographs” (TGM), or “group portraits” (AAT)

    • To describe a resource, such as an autobiography, that is about its creator, place the creator’s name in both the subject/keyword element and the Creator element.

    • Although geographic terms are normally handled by the :doc: Coverage <coverage> (Place Name) element, subject fields could include geographic terms as well if the location is significant to the content, or if there are variant names.

  • When using an established controlled vocabulary, follow all rules related to scope and formatting

    • E.g., the scope for the LCGFT includes the following disciplines: moving images (films, television programs, and video recordings), spoken-word recorded sounds, legal materials, and cartographic materials

Resources

Resources for Selected Vocabularies:

Controlled Vocabulary

UNTL Code

Links to Resources

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Subjects

UNTL-BS

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Subjects

Art and Architecture Thesaurus (Getty)

AAT

Art and Architecture Thesaurus

Library of Congress (LC)

Thesauri and Controlled Vocabularies

Classification Web (Accessible to UNT staff/students)

  • Legislative Subject Terms

LST

Legislative Subject Terms

  • Library of Congress Subject Headings

LCSH

Library of Congress Authorities

Library of Congress Subject Headings

  • LC Genre/Form Terms

LCGFT

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

  • LC Medium of Performance Thesaurus

LCMPT

Library of Congress Medium of Performance Thesaurus

  • LC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

TGM

Thesaurus for Graphic Materials I: Subject Terms

Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

More Guidelines: