OSU Library Metadata: A Guideline to Best Practices: Subject

Label: Subject; Keywords
Maps to Dublin Core Element Name: subject
Maps to MARC field (in World Cat): 6XX
Mandatory: Yes, if applicable
Repeatable: Yes, up to ten terms
Qualifiers:
         Refinements: None
         Schemes: See table with established thesauri

A topic of the content of the resource. Typically, Subject will be expressed as keywords, key phrases, or classification codes that describe a topic of the resource. Recommended best practice is to select a value from a controlled vocabulary or formal classification scheme.

What the content of the resource is about or what it is, expressed by headings, keywords, phrases, names, or other terms for significant people, places, and events, etc. A classification code also may be assigned. Subject terms from a locally controlled list will be preferably utilized. Other controlled vocabulary terms may also be utilized from taxonomies noted in the
list or to be determined, as needed.

Best practice recommends that subject terms be taken from a controlled vocabulary whenever possible for more accurate retrieval of resources. However, keywords that identify the resource with some precision can be added to a record to enhance resource retrieval and discovery, especially in cases where such terms are too new to be included in controlled vocabularies. Multiple controlled vocabularies such as Art and Architecture Thesaurus and a locally controlled list may be used in the same subject field. Terms not supplied from a controlled vocabulary should be recorded in an additional subject field with label “keywords” in ContentDM or similar programs.

The list below includes some of the major thesauri, but more exist. Caution: Before opting to use terms from a thesaurus other than ones listed below, carefully consider if selected thesauri will be acceptable to any potential partners with whom you may share your records.

Other established thesauri or word lists include, but are not limited to:

1. Enter multiple subjects or classification codes in the order of their importance (often based upon how much of the entire content is devoted to a particular subject). Use separate Subject elements to enter multiple subjects terms or enter multiple subject terms in one element. Clearly separate each entry by a semicolon followed by a space (; ) within an element.
2. Capitalize the first letter of each term (e.g., Economic development). For other terms follow the capitalization from taxonomies of names, organizations, events, geographical, topical, and time periods.
3.  To determine the subject, use the title, description, and resource itself.
4. Use specific or unique words rather than more general words (Example: If the object is a picture of lilies, use the term “Lilies” instead of “Flowers”; if the object is a field of wild flowers, use the term “Wild flowers” instead of “Flowers”).
5. Subjects may be personal or organization names as well as topics, places, genres, forms, and events.
6.  Subject elements may describe not only what an object is about, but also what it is. A poem about transportation strikers might have a heading for “Transportation strikers – Poetry” to show the subject of the poem, and then another heading for “Poem” to show what the object is.
7.  Subject elements in this Dublin Core-based metadata format may contain different types of headings that in other formats are differentiated into separate elements.
8. Have a clear understanding of how the database handles nonstandard characters and diacritics (such as ü, é, ñ, etc.) and input them so that they display and retrieve effectively.
9.  If the subject is a person or organization, use the same authorized form of name as if the person or organization were a Creator. For personal names enter: last name, first name, initial and include the date (s), if available.

          Notes:

1. Subjects are different from the very broad categories found in the Type element. A digital image that is a photograph could be given in the Thesaurus of Graphic Materials genre term “photographs,” but type listed in the Type element would be “still image.” An artist’s book might be given the subject genre term “artist’s book,” while the type listed in Type element would be “text.”
2.  Enter the names of creators of the object in the Creator element. Repeat these names in the Subject element only if the object is also about the creator in some way. (Example: A record for the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin would list “Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790” in both the Creator and the Subject elements; a record for an exhibition of Picasso’s works probably would list Picasso as both a creator and a subject, since the exhibition is about him, while a record of a single work by Picasso probably would list Picasso only in the Creator element).

Notes:

1. Subjects are different from the very the broad categories found in the Type element. A digital image that is a photograph could be given the subject genre term “photograph,” but its genre type listed in the Type element would be “image.” An artist’s book might be given the subject genre term “artist’s book,” while the genre type listed in Type element would be “text.”
2. Enter the names of creators of the object in the Creator element. Repeat these names in the Subject element only if the object is also about the creator in some way. (Example: A record for the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin would list “Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790” in both the Creator and the Subject elements; a record for an exhibition of Picasso’s works probably would list Picasso as both a creator and a subject, since the exhibition is about him, while a record of a single work by Picasso probably would list Picasso only in the Creator element).

• Women; Politics; Social life; Sports; Spiritual life

Oral History

• Circus performer; showman; Horse riding; Traveling show
   

Special Collections and University Archives

•  WAVES; Class; Morrill Hall; Chemistry; U.S. Navy
•  Candelaria; Camp; 2nd Engineers; Second engineers
• Bost, Jessie Thatcher; Paper; Costumes
• WAVES; Company 1; Platoon 5; Section 761; Section 762; Section 763
• Payne County, Oklahoma; Water erosion; Soil loss