[Sigcr-l] Two questions on the Use of Subject Authority Data

[mzeng at kent.edu]

Dear library and information professionals,

    We are conducting research on the Use of Subject Authority Data.  
The ultimate goal of the study is to develop benchmark recommendations 
for the functional requirements for subject authority records, within 
the framework developed by the IFLA Functional Requirements for 
Bibliographic Records (FRBR) final report.  

    Please take 2-5 minutes to complete and submit the survey 
available at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=609082226763 , or, 
answer the following questions and send them back to us at 
mzeng at slis.kent.edu or asalaba at slis.kent.edu .	

    If you want to know more about this research project, please call 
Marcia Zeng at 330-672-0009 or email mzeng at slis.kent.edu.  The project 
has been approved by Kent State University.  If you have questions 
about Kent State University's rules for research, please call Dr. John 
L. West, Vice President and Dean, Division of Research and Graduate 
Studies (Tel. 330.672.2704).
					
Sincerely,		
Marcia Zeng, Professor
Athena Salaba, Assistant Professor
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1. Which of the following best describes your work? 
(Please, check all that apply)

___  assisting others in finding information (e.g., reference work)
___  creating metadata and cataloging  records 
___  creating and maintaining subject authority records (in relation 
to metadata and cataloging record creation)
___  supervising metadata and/or cataloging project(s)
___  quality control of metadata and/or cataloging records 
___  consulting on metadata issues
___  indexing and/or abstracting
___  creating indexes
___  creating and maintaining controlled vocabularies (lists of 
subject headings, thesauri, classifications, taxonomies, etc.)
___  consulting on vocabulary control issues
___  selecting and acquiring resources in relation to collection 
development
___  consulting on information architecture and design of retrieval 
tools and interfaces
___  teaching and training information professionals
___  other: ______________________________________

2. In what ways do you use controlled vocabulary information (from 
print or online thesauri, subject headings lists, etc., or from 
subject authority records)? 
(Please, check all that apply)

a. In cataloging and metadata creation
___	to select and verify appropriate terms for cataloging and 
indexing 
___	to explore relationships (equivalent, hierarchical, and 
associative) among terms
___	to verify and understand terms and their relationships
___	other: __________________________

b. In subject authority work
___	to normalize and standardize controlled vocabulary terms
___	to modify subject authority data when needed 
___	to maintain subject authority data for future use  
___	to establish and update term relationships
___	other: __________________________

c. In searching or helping others search bibliographic information

___	to select and/or verify appropriate search terms for 
retrieval  
___	to explore relationships (equivalent, hierarchical, and 
associative) among terms
___	to understand terms and their relationships
___	to find and identify relevant documents/resources on a 
specified topic
___	to navigate and/or browse bibliographic and metadata records 
using equivalent, hierarchical, and associative terms
___	to modify searching through synonymous (equivalent)  terms
___	to modify searching through broader and narrower 
(hierarchical) terms and related (associative) terms  
___	other: __________________________

d. In other tasks: 
____________________________________________________________________


THANK YOU! Please send your answer back to mzeng at slis.kent.edu or 
asalaba at slis.kent.edu