University Libraries

Element Name

Subject/Keyword

Definition

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

Where Can the Subject Information be Found?

In many cases, the item must be read/examined to find subjects and keywords but they may come from:

Item Types	Information Sources
For text	titles abstracts tables of contents section/chapter headings text
For images	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
For music scores	title page table of contents lyrics
For videos	label on disc container cover
For sound files	information on disc/cassette container information
For computer files	title page/screen text of document

In some cases subjects may come from accompanying or supplementary information.

How Subject Works in the Metadata Form

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/keyword field should describe what the content is ‘about’
  • Subjects/keywords answer questions like: who, what, where, and when
• Choose as many terms as necessary to capture subject content:
  • Two subjects are required, but an average of five subject/keyword entries is recommended (number varies depending on content)
  • Avoid terms too general to describe a particular item
  • Only include geographic subjects when the particular place is important to the subject content
  • The use of controlled vocabularies is not required (except UNTL-BS terms for items in the Portal)
• Proper names can be subjects (including 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	Example
Add informal keywords as needed to help users locate the resource It is not necessary to repeat terms from controlled vocabularies as keywords	puppies
Keywords should be lowercase Only capitalize proper nouns	costumes Girl Scouts of America
Use punctuation when applicable If needed, include multiple versions with different spacing/punctuation Do not add quotation marks to titles	long-range planning man-made lakes manmade lakes Romeo and Juliet
Use plural forms of keywords	clothespins
The singular form of a keyword can be used when there is no reasonable plural	quilting
If the keyword's plural is formed irregularly, the singular and plural forms can both be added as separate keywords	knife knives
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 (preferably in the content description or as a keyword). If it seems important, both the full name and abbreviated version(s) can be included as keywords	Description: Postcard of buildings at Ft. McIntosh. Keyword: Fort McIntosh UNT University of North Texas
Prefer applicable controlled terms when they are readily-available (e.g., for more specific material information)	LCGFT: Portraits 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., make keywords 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 Austin, Texas Dallas, Texas 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	Example
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	Example
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
Use appropriate abbreviations: Include known titles before the first name 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	Wind, Ellis (Pee Wee)
Use the authorized form of the name (from the Library of Congress Authorities) if known	Austin, Stephen F. (Stephen Fuller), 1793-1836
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
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

Should someone be a ‘named person’?

Named Person	Not a Named Person
Person definitely identified in a photograph	Person hesitantly identified (S. M. Garvin?) - keyword Person not visible in the photograph - keyword Statue or likeness of a person - keyword
Plaintiff or defendant in a court case	Person mentioned once in a 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 - creator/contributor
Author and addressee of a letter	Person mentioned in passing in a letter - not included

UNT Libraries Browse Subjects (UNTL-BS)

• UNTL-BS 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	Example
Terms in UNT browse subjects are separated by a single dash and spaces (Term - Term)	Sports and Recreation - Riding - Bulls
For subject strings that have several levels, it is not necessary to include each part separately Only use the most specific and relevant string(s) 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" if the place itself is important to the subject of the item (e.g., maps, landscape photos, travel books) Consider how place terms will overlap with coverage places: For some items, a location associated with the item will be a coverage place but not a subject (e.g., portraits, event programs, etc.) The UNTL-BS includes place names that cannot be used as coverage locations, such as (U.S. regions and historic locations)	Places - United States - Texas - Travis County - Austin Places - United States - Midwestern Region Places - Republic of Texas

Note: Additional subjects are added to the UNTL-BS whenever 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
• 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	Example
Subject strings must be formulated and formatted according to Library of Congress rules Terms in Library of Congress subjects are separated by a double dash (Term -- Term)	Bee culture -- Equipment and supplies Fort Wolters (Tex.) Capote, Truman, 1924-
If the resource has previously been described in a library catalog subject fields can be taken from the catalog record Library records are generally good sources for ready-made subjects	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 match the coverage place Use separate LCGFT terms rather than form subdivisions	LCSH: Texas. Department of Transportation LCGFT: Periodicals LCGFT: Annual reports

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT)

Guideline	Example
Subject terms must come from the official LCGFT thesaurus Add one (or more) terms if they add more information Do not add LCGFT terms that duplicate the resource type (e.g., Photographs or Postcards)	Periodicals Greeting cards Cadastral maps Handbooks and manuals

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

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 - Food and Cooking

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 – Texas – 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 cards,” “ambrotypes,” or “panoramic photos”
  • 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 Coverage (Place Name) element, subject fields could include geographic terms as well if the location is significant to the content.
• 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

• UNT Subject Qualifier Controlled Vocabulary

Resources for Selected Vocabularies:

Controlled Vocabulary	UNTL Code	Links to Resources
University of North Texas Libraries Browse Subjects	UNTL-BS	UNT Libraries Browse Subjects
Art and Architecture Thesaurus (Getty)	AAT	Art and Architecture Thesaurus
Library of Congress (LC) Vocabularies		Thesauri & Controlled Vocabularies
Legislative Subject Terms	LST	Legislative Subject Terms
Library of Congress Subject Headings	LCSH	Library of Congress Authorities Library of Congress Subject Headings Classification Web (Accessible to UNT staff/students)
LC Genre/Form Terms LC Medium of Performance Thesaurus	LCGFT LCMPT	Classification Web (Accessible to UNT staff/students)
LC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials	TGM	Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

More Guidelines:

• Quick-Start Metadata Guide
• Input Guidelines for Descriptive Metadata
• Metadata Home