Indexing - Neglected and Poorly Understood

Bloomfield, Masse

Cataloging & classification quarterly 2001 33 (1)3578
(ReLIS:jul:qmcdam:y:2001:v:33:i:1:p:3578)

Abstract:

The growth of the Internet has highlighted the use of machine indexing. The difficulties in using the Internet as a searching device can be frustrating. The use of the term 'Python' is given as an example. Machine indexing is noted as 'rotten' and human indexing as 'capricious.' The problem seems to be a lack of a theoretical foundation for the art of indexing. What librarians have learned over the last hundred years has yet to yield a consistent approach to what really works best in preparing index terms and in the ability of our customers to search the various indexes. An attempt is made to consider the elements of indexing, their pros and cons. The argument is made that machine indexing is far too prolific in its production of index terms. Neither librarians nor computer programmers have made much progress to improve Internet indexing. Human indexing has had the same problems for over fifty years.

Keywords: Indización ; Internet ; Indización automática ; Búsquedas bibliográficas
Pages: 3578
Volume: 33
Year: 2001
Issue: 1

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