The new number building module in WebDewey supports the creation and contribution of user-generated index terms. The default user term suggested by the number building tool is based on the captions associated with the facets in the built number. Users may wish to base some of their indexing on predominant patterns in the Relative Index in order to increase the discoverability of their numbers when searching WebDewey.
If users want to send a number to the Dewey editors by clicking Contribute, it is only necessary to accompany it by one term. We recommend sending the one best index term marked as caption (click Set as caption). By "best" we mean best in representing the meaning of the number and best in fitting in with the predominant patterns of the Relative Index. In addition, users should feel free to send also as many alternative terms as they may find useful.
The training module "WebDewey Number Building User Terms" says: "Edit User term to match predominant pattern in Relative Index for similar works." The default user terms for the examples in the training module need editing in order to increase the discoverability of the associated built numbers in the user's copy of WebDewey; for example, here are the first two:
Cancers—bones—surgery 616.99471059
History & geography—greater London—irish 942.10049162
What are some good ways to identify predominant patterns in the Relative Index?
1. Look for clues in the upward hierarchy of the number you have built
2. Look at the Relative Index terms associated with the notation used to build the number
3. Browse the Relative Index
4. Follow see-also references in the Relative Index
5. Use Advanced Search to find terms in the Relative Index that are not lead terms
6. Look at the alternative Relative Index terms associated with numbers that you use as models
7. When obvious approaches fail, try to think of something analogous that might be in the Relative Index
Let’s work through the first two examples in the training module.
First example: when we have built the number 616.99471059 with the suggested caption Cancers—bones—surgery and clicked Save, we look for clues in the upward hierarchy. The next step up in the hierarchy is also a built number: 616.99471 Bone cancer—medicine.
When we browse the Relative Index for "bone cancer," we find:
Bone cancer—incidence 614.5999471
Bone cancer—medicine 616.99471
Bone cancer—medicine
see also Cancer—humans
When we follow the see-also reference, we find many subheadings used with Cancer—humans, including:
Cancer—humans—incidence 614.5999
Cancer—humans—medicine 616.94
…
Cancer—humans—surgery 616.994059
The subheading "humans" is given only at broad numbers for cancer, to distinguish from "Cancer—animals." In theory, the subheading could also be given for every specific type of cancer, but in practice it is not, as the "Bone cancer" entries show. All this suggests that the following user term would fit the predominant pattern:
Bone cancer—surgery
When we look at the full record for 616.99471 Bone cancer—medicine, we find a second Relative Index term: Bone neoplasms—medicine. When we browse the Relative Index for "bone neoplasms," we find a pattern like that for "bone cancer":
Bone neoplasms—incidence 614.5999471
Bone neoplasms—medicine 616.99471
Bone neoplasms—medicine
see also Cancer—humans
That suggests a pattern for the alternative user term for 616.99471059:
Bone neoplasms—surgery
Second example: when we have built 942.10049162 with the suggested caption History & geography—greater London—irish and clicked Save, we find that the next step up in the hierarchy is also a built number: 942.1 London (England).
The only Relative Index term associated with T2—421 Greater London, the Table 2 number used to build 942.10049162, is "London (England)"; the caption "Greater London" is not used as a Relative Index term. (Note: in the User Terms block, captions are shown immediately to the right of the notation used to build the number. Relative Index terms for that number are shown immediately below the caption. If a term serves as both a caption and a Relative Index term, it will be repeated. Of the three captions associated with 942.10049162, only "Irish" is repeated because it is the only term used as both caption and Relative Index term.) When we browse the Relative Index for "London," we find several entries that begin with "London (England)," but none that focuses on an ethnic or national group:
London (England) T2—421
London (England) 942.1
London (England) —1660-1685 942.1066
London (England) —2000- 942.1086
The Relative Index terms associated with T5—9162 Irish, the Table 5 number used to build the number 942.10049162, are "Irish" and "Irish Gaels." When we browse the Relative index for "Irish" and use Advanced Search to search the Relative Index for "Irish," we don’t find any history numbers that focus on the Irish as an ethnic or national group—that is, no history numbers built according to the add instructions at 0041-0049 Specific ethnic and national groups in the add table under 930-990 History of specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds (930-990:0041-0049 Specific ethnic and national groups). We try to think of another ethnic group that might have literary warrant in the Relative Index. When we use Advanced Search to search the Relative Index for "Inuit" or "Indians" or "Jews," we find multiple examples of numbers built according to the instructions at 930-990:0041-0049 Specific ethnic and national groups, e.g.:
979.80049712 Inuit—Alaska
976.600497317 Shawnee Indians—Oklahoma
946.004924 Jews—Spain
When we browse the Relative Index for "Inuit," "Shawnee," or "Jews," we confirm that there is a pattern of [ethnic group]—[geographic area]. All this suggests that for 942.10049162 the following user term fits the predominant patterns of the Relative Index:
Irish—London (England)
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