Specific and Generic Subject Headings: Increasing Subject Access to Library Materials

The principle of specificity for subject headings provides a clear advantage to many researchers for the precision it brings to subject searching. However, for some researchers very specific subject headings hinder an efficient and comprehensive search. An appropriate broader heading, especially when made narrower in scope by the addition of subheadings, can benefit researchers by providing generic access to their topic. Assigning both specific and generic subject headings to a work would enhance the subject accessibility for the diverse approaches and research needs of different catalog users. However, it can be difficult for catalogers to assign broader terms consistently to different works and without consistency the gathering function of those terms may not be realized. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800- HAWORTH. E-mail address: Website: © 2003 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]