Subject Heading
nounPronunciation: /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt ˈhɛdɪŋ/
A standardized word or phrase assigned to a resource to describe its intellectual content and enable subject-based discovery and browsing. Subject headings follow controlled vocabularies such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) to ensure consistency and improve retrieval.
Plain English
A standard word or phrase that describes what a book or article is about, helping people find related materials.
Etymology & History
Usage
"Catalogers assign multiple subject headings to ensure researchers can discover the book through various search approaches."
Style guide notes: Enclose subject headings in quotation marks or italics when quoting from a thesaurus or catalog record.
Also known as
Contrasted with
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not just use author keywords instead of subject headings?
Subject headings provide consistency across resources; keywords vary and may miss relevant materials with different terminology.
What is the most common subject heading system?
The Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is the most widely used system in academic and public libraries.
Why Test Candidates on This?
Essential for assessing cataloging knowledge and understanding of how library classification systems support resource discovery.
Required skill level: Junior