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TSD / Cataloging and Metadata Management: Using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®) in Cataloging

Module 1—Subject Analysis Principles


Types of Concepts to Identify

  • Topics
  • Names of:
    • Persons
    • Corporate bodies
    • Geographic areas
  • Time periods
  • Titles of works
  • Form of the item

Subjects vs. Forms/Publication Characteristics/Genres

  • Subject: what the item is about
  • Form: what the item actually is, rather than what it is about
    • Physical character (video, map)
    • Type of data contained (statistics, tables)
    • Format or style of information (handbook, periodical)
    • Genre (biography, essays)


Last Reviewed: July 31, 2017