Display of Subject Relationships
The vital problem concerned with the alphabetical, subject approach is the naming (labeling) of subjects. However, any tool such as the library catalogue used for the organisation of knowledge, must also take into account the different relationships existing between the subjects. There are two main categories of relationships between subjects. These are known as the syntactic relationships and semantic relationships. For example, in a topic such as 'Sugar and Health', the concept 'Sugar' and 'Health' are drawn-together in a specific context. Obviously any of these concepts may also be present in other context, where the existence of relationships defined for the purpose may be irrelevant. On the other hand, semantic relationships show aspects of genus-species relationships and are expected to reflect widely accepted subject relations. Entries should be made in the catalogue for linking such related subjects. This is normally achieved by means of references and other devices such as, alternative entries. These are some of the significant issues which cause problems in subject cataloguing and the cataloguer must take these into account and try to provide suitable solutions by which these problems might be minimised, if not totally eliminated.