Page 105 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Knowledge Organization: Classification and Cataloguing Theory

Notes Brevity: Brevity is length of the notation to express the same concept. Notation should be
as brief as possible. The notation used in the UDC effect directly the class number allotted
to the document. In most of the complex subject case UDC has a lengthy class number.
These class numbers has been used to mechanize the system. Therefore, the lengthy notation
of the subjects can effect to the recall.
Inconsistency: In order to solve the problems of inconsistency and generality of
classification in the database studied, but research and development are needed. While the
research should be directed mainly at clarifying the differences in classification practices,
one should add more specific UDC classes to database consistently while taking into
account different conceptual points of view. UDC has features, such as the auxiliaries and
the signs of association, which are not only elegant. But which could be important devices
in use of classification in online system.

Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:
15. UDC is the analytico synthetic classification scheme.

16. Precision is one of the most important demerits of use of UDC on Internet.
5.8 Criticisms of UDC

In order to make the comments on the scheme, invitations were given to many special librarians
who are using the UDC for science and technology. However, users praise its:

Universality
Flexibility
The relation signs that permit unlimited definition.
Often ascribed to lack of funds, general criticisms are made of slowness in revision as well as
inadequate indexes while few may identify its notation either confusing or over-elaborate.
Slow revision may lead to inadequacy in freshly developing subjects. For Example Plasma
physics, Guided missiles, the Solid state, Astronautics, etc. The separation of pure and applied
science is the most wide spread criticism. The differentiation of 54 and 66 is criticized though
some may consider it workable. There is no correspondent segment for Technical physics.
‘Therefore 536.48 and 621 .561 .57 overlap and at times it may involve very arbitrary decisions.’
‘In 533 and 626/7 there is a huge amount of repetition.’ The separation of 57/59 from 63 makes
troubles. Such explicit criticisms, although showing some of the facilities as required by users,
do not in themselves provide more than general guidance as to the direction in which the UDC
should be formulated. A more detailed as well as implicit criticism is given by a study of special
schemes that have been built as preferable choices to the UDC for information indexing. Thus,
it has been possible to make such studies for some fields of knowledge.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

17. In order to make the comments on the scheme, invitations were given to many special
…………………….who are using the UDC for science and technology.
18. The ………………….of pure and applied science is the most wide spread criticism.

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