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A. Selecting topical subjects from the UNBIS Thesaurus (tag 650)

Example 1:
A document on measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, would be indexed as follows:

650 17 $a TERRORISM
650 17 $a WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
650 17 $a COUNTER-TERRORISM

Example 2:
The most pertinent terms for a document on links between illicit drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorism, would be:

650 17 $a DRUG TRAFFIC
650 17 $a ILLICIT TRAFFIC
650 17 $a LAUNDERING OF FUNDS
650 17 $a TERRORISM FINANCING

In selecting terms for specific country names as subjects, indexers must be careful to select the term for the country name (tag 650), not the Corporate Name Authority record (tag 610). They should also bear in mind that not all geographic names are UNBIS Thesaurus terms; as mentioned earlier, many geographic names other than countries and major regions are established as Geographic Subject Authority records and not as UNBIS Thesaurus terms.

Generally, when selecting geographic subject terms for specific cities, provinces, etc. that include the name of a country as a qualifier, the Thesaurus term for the country should also be selected.

Example 3:
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 17 $a DARFUR (SUDAN)
650 17 $a SUDAN

650 17 $a CRIME PREVENTION
650 17 $a NEW YORK (UNITED STATES : STATE)
650 17 $a UNITED STATES

However, some exceptions apply: if a topical term that is linked with a subnational geographic subject (province, city, district, etc.) does not apply to the country but only to the subnational area, then the geographic term for the country is not assigned in addition to the subnational term– or it should be linked with a different topical term that makes logical sense.

Example 4:
650 17 $a FOREIGN RELATIONS
650 17 $a GEORGIA
650 17 $a RUSSIAN FEDERATION
650 17 $a POLITICAL STATUS
650 17 $a ABKAHAZIA (GEORGIA)

In the above example, the subnational geographic term ABKHAZIA (GEORGIA) is linked with the term POLITICAL STATUS. The national terms GEORGIA and RUSSIAN FEDERATION are not linked with POLITICAL STATUS but with a term that makes logical sense (FOREIGN RELATIONS).

Example 5:
650 17 $a SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE
650 17 $a NEW YORK (N.Y.)
650 17 $a GENEVA (SWITZERLAND)
650 17 $a VIENNA (AUSTRIA)
650 17 $a DUTY STATIONS

In the above example, the document concerns rates of subsistence allowance at UN Headquarters, Geneva and Vienna. The topic does not apply to the national geographic terms (UNITED STATES, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA) so they are not added in addition to the subnational geographic terms.

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i. Weighted subject indexing (tag 650)

Note: Weighted subject indexing was initiated in 1999, so in earlier records indexers will find tag 650 subjects with first indicator value 0.

1. Primary subject terms
2. Secondary subject terms

Primary subject terms should reflect the main overall subject(s) or contents of a work as specifically as the indexing language permits.  Normally a maximum of five primary subjects (excluding geographic subjects) is desirable.

When the primary subjects assigned to a work include geographic subjects, indexers must consider the linkage with non-geographic primary subjects. Part A (ii), Geographic linkage of subjects, provides guidelines on linking primary geographic subjects with primary topical subjects.

When the main subject of a work is a treaty, declaration or other instrument, or a working group, conference or other entity, assign the term TREATIES, DECLARATIONS, WORKING GROUPS, CONFERENCES, etc. in addition to the term representing the topic (tag 650) and the appropriate title, corporate or conference subject heading (tag 610, 611 or 630).

Examples:

191 $a CTOC/COP/2008/CRP.3
245 10 $a Status of ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime and the Protocols thereto, as at 1st October 2008
630 07 $a UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000)
630 07 $a UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000). Protocols, etc.
650 17 $a TRANSNATIONAL CRIME
650 17 $a ORGANIZED CRIME
650 17 $a TREATIES
650 17 $a SIGNATURES, ACCESSIONS, RATIFICATIONS

191 $a A/HRC/RES/8/6
245 10 $a Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
610 27 $a UN. Human Rights Council. Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers $g Terms of reference
650 17 $a JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE
650 17 $a SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS

191 $a E/CN.4/RES/6(XVII)
245 10 $a Freedom from Prejudice and Discrimination Year and Day
630 07 $a International Year of Freedom from Prejudice and Discrimination (Proposed)
630 07 $a International Day of Freedom from Prejudice and Discrimination (Proposed)
650 17 $a PREJUDICES
650 17 $a DISCRIMINATION
650 17 $a INTERNATIONAL YEARS
650 17 $a INTERNATIONAL DAYS

191 $a A/56/152
245 10 $a Preparations for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing : $b report of the Secretary-General
611 27 $a World Assembly on Ageing (2nd : 2002 : Madrid) $g Work organization
630 07 $a Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002)
650 17 $a AGEING
650 17 $a AGEING PERSONS
650 17 $a PROGRAMMES OF ACTION
650 17 $a CONFERENCES

2. Secondary subject terms
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The assignment of secondary subject terms is directly related to the indexing principle of exhaustivity. Secondary subjects serve several useful purposes: they improve recall in searches, allowing users to search below the level of the work as a whole and ensuring that a maximum number of documents relevant to a search will be retrieved; they allow users to differentiate between records that have the same or similar titles or the same primary subject(s); they provide more specificity, and reflect various aspects of a topic. They are also useful in providing access to special types of information contained in documents (e.g. statistical data, model forms, questionnaires, etc.).

The assignment of secondary subject terms tends to be more subjective and variable than the assignment of primary subject terms. While there is no arbitrary number of subject terms that may be assigned by an indexer, it depends on several factors, such as the type of work and the subject matter.

For instance, when a document deals with one of the UN's main subject areas for which a very large body of documentation exists (such as development, human rights, peacekeeping or international security), secondary subjects are assigned for the various specific sub-topics that would normally be brought out as primary subjects of other works.

The number of secondary subjects assigned may vary depending upon the type of document: for instance, UN resolutions and decisions are assigned secondary topical subjects for every significant operative paragraph in addition to the primary subject(s) for the resolution or decision as a whole; substantive reports with chapters on different sub-topics may have secondary subjects assigned for each chapter in addition to the primary subject(s) assigned for the report as a whole; secondary subjects may be assigned to meeting records for topics discussed at the meeting in addition to the primary subject(s) for the meeting as a whole.

It is possible to assign only secondary topical subject terms (tag 650 first indicator 2) to a document. This occurs, for example, when the main subject of a document is represented by a corporate subject heading in tag 610, and secondary level subject terms may be assigned for additional information in the document.

Example:

191 $a CERD/C/74/1
245 10 $a Provisional agenda and annotations : $b Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 74th session, Geneva, 16 February-6 March 2009 : note / $c by the Secretary-General
500 $a "Annex: Tentative timetable for consideration of reports, comments and further information submitted by States parties and for consideration of States parties whose reports are seriously overdue pursuant to the review procedure": p. 5-7.
610 27 $a UN. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (74th sess. : 2009 : Geneva) $g Agenda
650 27 $a RACE RELATIONS
650 27 $a PERIODIC REPORTS
[In this example, the main subject of the document is the agenda and is represented by the corporate subject heading in tag 610; secondary subject terms are added for information about periodic reports contained in an annex]

For more guidance on weighted indexing for specific types of documents and publications see the .

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ii. Geographic linkage of subjects (tag 650)

For example, if the database record reads:

Example 1:

650 17 $a ENERGY POLICY
650 17 $a SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
650 17 $a EUROPE
650 17 $a ENERGY SECURITY

The geographic subject EUROPE will coordinate (link) with the primary topical subjects preceding it, but not with those following it, so that the index entries in printed products will appear as:

ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SECURITY
EUROPE - - ENERGY POLICY
EUROPE - - SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Since primary topical subjects that precede primary geographic subjects are linked with the geographic subjects following them, a logical order should be considered when assigning primary topical and geographic subjects. For instance, indexers should avoid linking terms at an international or regional level (e.g. GLOBALIZATION, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, REGIONAL COOPERATION, etc.) with country-level geographic subjects.

Example 2:

650 17 $a FOREIGN TRADE
650 17 $a TRADE POLICY
650 17 $a ZAMBIA
650 17 $a INTRAREGIONAL TRADE
650 17 $a AFRICA
650 17 $a MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

Indexers should avoid geographic linkage with terms of a politically sensitive nature; terms of an abstract nature; terms for very general concepts or general principles, theories or methodologies; terms that serve as qualifiers or subheadings for other terms and would not make sense linked with a geographic subject.

Examples of the type of topical subject terms that would not be linked with geographic terms: all "ASPECTS" terms (ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS, CULTURAL ASPECTS, DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS, ECONOMIC ASPECTS, etc.), ACCOUNTABILITY, AGGRESSION, APARTHEID, CLIMATE CHANGE, DECOLONIZATION, ECONOMETRICS, EQUALITY, FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS, FINANCING, FORCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, GLOBAL WARNING, INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS, INTERVENTION, JUSTICE, MATHEMATICAL MODELS, MEASUREMENT, PEACE, PRINCIPLES, STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY.

Usually a more specific term exists that could be linked with the geographic subject in lieu of the sensitive, abstract, etc., term. In cases where no appropriate term can logically be linked with the geographic subject, the indexer may choose to record the primary geographic subject term first, without preceding it by any topical subject term. In some cases, only geographic subject term(s) would be needed.

Example:

191 $a A/RES/59/1A
245 10 $a Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations
610 27 $a UN $g Budget contributions

650 17 $a CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
650 17 $a COMOROS
650 17 $a IRAQ

No topical subject terms precede geographic subject terms: no geographic linkage

Visualizing the way primary subject terms will appear in printed subject indexes helps indexers decide on appropriate and logical linkage with geographic subject terms.

Example:

245 10 $a Measuring Australia’s human capital
650 17 $a HUMAN RESOURCES
650 17 $a AUSTRALIA
650 17 $a MEASUREMENT
650 17 $a STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY

In printed alphabetic subject indexes, the resulting subject headings will appear as:

AUSTRALIA – HUMAN RESOURCES
HUMAN RESOURCES
MEASUREMENT
STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY

The coordinated subject heading AUSTRALIA – HUMAN RESOURCES would be appropriate geographic linkage.
However, if the indexer links the terms MEASUREMENT and STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY with AUSTRALIA by recording the topical subject terms before the geographic subject term:

650 17 $a HUMAN RESOURCES
650 17 $a MEASUREMENT
650 17 $a STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
650 17 $a AUSTRALIA

The coordinated geographic subject headings AUSTRALIA – MEASUREMENT and AUSTRALIA – STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY will appear in the printed subject index, which would be inappropriate and not useful as subject headings since the terms MEASUREMENT and STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY refer to methodologies in general.

Since the Thesaurus terms CLIMATE CHANGE and GLOBAL WARMING refer to global phenomena, they are not linked with primary geographic subject terms. For documents concerning effects of global climate change in specific geographic areas, link other appropriate subject terms with primary geographic subjects, e.g. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, etc., followed by the primary subject CLIMATE CHANGE.

Example:

245 10 $a Enhancing the regional SEE cooperation in the field of climate change
650 17 $a ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
650 17 $a ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
650 17 $a REGIONAL COOPERATION
650 17 $a SOUTHEAST EUROPE
650 17 $a CLIMATE CHANGE

Consistency in the way topical subjects are linked with geographic subjects is important to avoid scattering of citations in printed subject indexes.

In general, the indexer should link «neutral» terms with country-level geographic subjects instead of «negative» terms relating to human rights violations.

Example 3:

650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 17 $a MYANMAR
650 17 $a PRISONER TREATMENT
650 17 $a TURKEY
650 17 $a HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
650 17 $a TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT

The following are examples of «negative» terms, mainly in the area of human rights violations, that generally should not be linked with geographic subjects.

• ARBITRARY DETENTION (related terms that might be linked instead: ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION, DETAINED PERSONS, DETENTION CENTRES, PREVENTIVE DETENTION, PRISONER TREATMENT, etc.)

• DISCRIMINATION (the indexer could link terms for the groups that are being discussed, e.g. DISABLED PERSONS, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, MINORITIES, RELIGIOUS GROUPS, ROMA, etc.)

• EXTRALEGAL EXECUTIONS (the term ARMED INCIDENTS is often linked instead)
  
  
• GENDER DISCRIMINATION (related terms that might be linked instead: GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, WOMEN'S STATUS, etc.)
  
  
• GENOCIDE (never linked geographicly; non-linking subjects could be used such as RWANDA SITUATION)
  
  
• HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS (the term HUMAN RIGHTS is linked instead)
  
  
• MASSACRES (the term ARMED INCIDENTS is often linked instead)
  
  
• RACIAL DISCRIMINATION (related terms that might be linked instead: ANTI-RACISM STRATEGIES, BLACKS, ETHNIC AND RACIAL GROUPS, RACE RELATIONS)
  
  
• TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT (terms PRISONER TREATMENT, TORTURE PREVENTION are often linked instead)

• ARAB COUNTRIES; TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL;
  
• all terms consisting of a geographic name followed by the word «Question», e.g. PALESTINE QUESTION, WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION, etc.;
  
• all terms consisting of a geographic name followed by the word «Situation», e.g. LEBANON SITUATION, RWANDA SITUATION, etc.

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iii. When to propose new Thesaurus terms (for tag 650)

• other terms in that subject field at an equivalent level of specificity are already in the Thesaurus, e.g. proposed term SATURN (EARTH, JUPITER, etc. already in the Thesaurus) or proposed term RAIL TRAFFIC (ROAD TRAFFIC, AIR TRAFFIC, etc. already in the Thesaurus);
  
• the concept has begun to appear in a number of works, e.g. HUMAN SECURITY;
  
• the concept is the main subject of UN resolutions, e.g. RIGHT TO THE TRUTH;
  
• no term or combination of terms existing in the Thesaurus can adequately represent the concept, e.g. INTERNATIONAL LAW FRAGMENTATION;
  
• the immediately broader term is heavily used in the database, e.g. ANCHORS (BT TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT)

While a thesaurus is not a dictionary and should not be expected to systematically define terms, scope notes can be very helpful to both indexers and users whenever the meaning of terms is ambiguous, their usage is not clear, or when it is difficult to distinguish between very similar terms. Indexers may also suggest cross-references and related term relationships that they feel would be helpful.

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Last updated: 6 July 2009