A keyword system for small information centers
Hartmut H. Weinert · Journal of the American Society for Information Science · 1973
Abstract A uniterm keyword system is explained which is thought to be suitable for small information centers operated by a staff of one or two. The intrinsic problems experienced with uniterm keywords are overcome by the introduction of the “specifier,” a means of indexing which provides for the variation of the meaning of uniterm keywords without introducing multi‐term or additional ones. A geographical index, using names of continents, or groups of countries and a specifier, provides for retrieval by regions as well as easy amendments when political changes occur. The system consists of 477 keywords, 27 specifiers and 53 geographical terms. It has been developed in the National Institute for Road Research of the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, for road research documentation, and has been in efficient operation for some time. The underlying principles are thought to be equally applicable to other fields.