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Gale Group's Controlled Vocabulary
Return to Gale Group Editorial Policy Menu There are two systematically different indexing schemes used in Gale Group databases:
Each indexing scheme has its own set of distinct vocabulary files which comprise its thesaurus.When browsing a database's thesaurus, entries from multiple vocabulary files are included. For example, the heading-based databases include vocabulary files of subjects, named persons, product names, and company names. The PROMT thesaurus includes product code, event code, geographic code, and company name vocabulary files. Two vocabulary files which are used across both of Gale Group's indexing schemes are Product Codes and the Company Name file. Product Codes are 7-digit hierarchical numeric codes, that were originally based on the 1972 SIC codes and most recently updated in January 1997 to reflect newer technologies. As such, they comprise both products and services. Some additional codes outside the core hierarchy cover economic statistics and business management activities. The Company Name file provides a standard, complete form of entry for over 340,000 company names. The use of Gale Group index terms by indexers is controlled to varying degrees, depending on the vocabulary file or category of the term. In heading-based indexing, the vocabulary used in descriptive subject headings is tightly controlled and indexers may not use descriptive subjects that are not in the thesaurus. The vocabulary used in these databases for proper names, on the other hand, is also maintained in vocabulary files, but indexers may assign new or rare proper name terms which do not appear in a vocabulary file. In PROMT indexing, the vocabulary files of all hierarchical codes are tightly controlled, and indexers may only use codes from the vocabulary files. Trade & Industry Database, Health & Wellness Database, Magazine Database The indexing scheme used in Trade & Industry, Health & Wellness Database, Magazine Database, and to some extent in Computer Database is called heading-based indexing, because the indexing uses an extensive thesaurus of headings modified by sub-topics (subdivisions), as in traditional book cataloging style. Gale Group's descriptive subject headings were originally based on Library of Congress Subject Headings, but modifications over the years to make the subject headings more current for periodical indexing have led to a distinct Gale Group thesaurus. Indexing for articles in heading-based indexing involves finding headings in vocabulary files and entering them into the database records. The vocabulary files are:
An additional vocabulary file of hierarchical vocabulary is used in Trade & Industry and Computer Databases and for select business-related articles in the Magazine and Health & Wellness Databases:
Vocabulary within the Subject File is further categorized by type:
In general, indexers assume that all the headings they will need to index an article adequately are already in the vocabulary files. If the main topic of the article cannot be expressed by an existing heading, the closest authorized heading available is used, and the specific topic is mentioned in the title annotation and/or abstract. Occasionally, however, indexers may feel a company name, named person, trade name, geographic place, association, event, work, or government entity that is not already in one of the vocabulary files is significant enough in an article to be indexed. In these cases, indexers may assign unauthorized headings. The unauthorized headings do not go into the vocabulary files. Instead, on a regular basis, all unauthorized headings that have been used in database records are reviewed. If an unauthorized heading has been used in numerous database records, it may be added as a permanent heading to the appropriate vocabulary file. Unauthorized headings must follow the same format as authorized headings in the given vocabulary file. For example, all Trade Name terms must be modified with the category of product in parentheses following the name, such as in the term Netscape Navigator (Web browser). Certain organizations and man-made geographic places also receive modifying annotations. Governmental bodies and agencies follow a strict pattern of place name followed by a period, followed by the exact body name, such as in the term United States. Patent and Trademark Office. Indexing for articles in Computer Database uses the same vocabulary files as in Trade & Industry, Health & Wellness, and Magazine Database, with the exception of the topical vocabulary. Instead of the descriptor subset of the Subject File, the Computer Database has its own distinct vocabulary file of Computer Terms. This thesaurus is also tightly controlled, and indexers may not assign unauthorized topical terms. Indexers may suggest new terms be added to the Computer Term File, however, and vocabulary editors add and delete terms on a frequent basis. Computer Terms, unlike Subject headings, do not use sub-topics. As such, Computer Terms follow a different style, whereby the name of each term is in the singular instead of in the plural. Computer Terms fall into several categories:
Some articles that appear in the Computer Database also appear in Trade & Industry, if they are business-related, or in Magazine Database, if they are from consumer magazines. In such records, Computer Terms are used in these databases as well. The PROMT controlled vocabulary consists of three vocabulary files of hierarchical codes with corresponding term names, in addition to the same Company Name File used for all Gale Group indexed databases.
Searching may be done by either code or corresponding term name, which are matched to each other in the vocabulary file. The PROMT code vocabulary files are kept rather stable. Changes in vocabulary are quite infrequent and tend to be categorical, rather than on a term-by-term basis. The most recent update to Product Codes, Event Codes, and Geographic Codes was made in January 1997. Return to menu or Return to Gale Group Editorial Policy Menu Copyright © 2006 Dialog, a Thomson business. All rights reserved. |