A thesaurus provides a standard language or set of terms with which to describe a subject area. Applied to indexing of a database, it indicates to a searcher which terms to use to retrieve the maximum number of relevant documents.

The thesaurus terms are used by indexers to describe the contents of publications in a consistent, comprehensive and concise manner. These terms are listed in the Descriptors field (DE=) of each record added to the database.

When logged into CSA Illumina, you may browse for terms via a hierarchical, alphabetical, or rotated index display using our interactive Thesaurus Search. These display formats allow you to navigate the thesaurus alphabetically or through the hierarchical relationships between terms. After finding appropriate terms, you can submit a search for those terms in the database descriptor field.

The Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors, 13th Edition, contains an alphabetical listing of terms used for indexing and searching in the ERIC database.

This word-by-word alphabetical display is probably the most familiar since it provides a variety of information (a "display") for each Descriptor. This includes a Scope Note, Use For (UF) and Use (USE) references, Narrower Terms (NT), Broader Terms (BT), and Related Terms (RT). Each of these segments of the Thesaurus display is explained in detail below.

Scope Note

A Scope Note is a brief statement of the intended usage of a Descriptor. It may be used to clarify an ambiguous term or to restrict the usage of a term. Special indexing notes are often included.

TESTS Devices, procedures, or sets of items that are used to measure ability, skill, understanding, knowledge, or achievement (note: use a more specific term if possible--this broad term corresponds to pubtype code 160 and should not be used except as the subject of a document)

Recommends use of a Narrower Term and directs indexers and searchers to PUBTYPE category

ORAL INTERPRETATION The oral interpretation and presentation of a work of literature to an audience (note: prior to mar80, the instruction "oral interpretation, use interpretive reading" was carried in the thesaurus)

Alerts indexers and searchers to an earlier Thesaurus instruction

NONFORMAL EDUCATION Organized education without formal schooling or institutionalization in which knowledge, skills, and values are taught by relatives, peers, or other community members (note: do not confuse with "nonschool educational programs" or the identifier "informal education")

Suggests another Descriptor or an Identifier that may be more appropriate

UF (Use For)

The "UF" reference is employed generally to solve problems of synonymy occurring in natural language. Terms following the UF notation are not used in indexing. They most often represent either (1) synonymous or variant forms of the main term, or (2) specific terms that, for purposes of storage and retrieval, are indexed under a more general term. The examples below illustrate both types of UFs:

MAINSTREAMING Use For Desegregation (Disabled Students)
Integration (Disabled Students)
Least Restrictive Environment (Disabled)
Regular Class Placement (1968 1978) LIFELONG LEARNING Use For Continuous Learning (1967 1980)
Education Permanente
Lifelong Education
Life Span Education
Permanent Education
Recurrent Education
LABOR FORCE DEVELOPMENT Use For Human Resources Development (Labor)
Manpower Development(1966 1980) PHYSICAL DISABILITIES Use For Crippled Children (1968 1980)
Orthopedically Handicapped 1968-1980)
Physical Handicaps (1966-1980)

A former Descriptor that has been downgraded to the status of a UF term is accompanied by a "life span" notation in parentheses: e.g., (1966 1980). This indicates the time period during which the term was used in indexing. It provides useful information for searching older printed indexes, or computer files that have not been updated.

USE

The USE reference, the mandatory reciprocal of the UF, refers an indexer or searcher from a nonusable (nonindexable) term to the preferred indexable term or terms.

In the examples below, there is only one USE term for each entry. This means that there is a direct, one-to-one correlation in the ERIC system from the UF to the USE term.

REGULAR CLASS PLACEMENT (1968 1978) USE MAINSTREAMING CONTINUOUS LEARNING (1967 1980) USE LIFELONG LEARNING ORTHOPEDICALLY HANDICAPPED (1968 1980) USE PHYSICAL DISABILITIES MANPOWER USE LABOR FORCE

A coordinate or multiple USE reference looks a little different. The following example illustrates the use of two main terms together to represent a single concept, both for indexing and searching:

FOLK DRAMA (1969 1980) USE DRAMA AND FOLK CULTURE

BT (Broader Term) and NT (Narrower Term)

These indicate the existence of a hierarchical relationship between a class and its subclasses. Narrower terms are included in the broader class represented by the main entry. The [+] symbol beside a term indicates that there are further narrower terms.

LIBRARIES Narrower Terms Academic Libraries [+]
Branch Libraries
Childrens Libraries
Depository Libraries
Public Libraries [+]
Research Libraries
School Libraries
Special Libraries [+] MODELS Narrower Terms Causal Models [+]
Mathematical Models
Role Models [+]
Student Writing Models
Teaching Models The Broader Term (BT) is the mandatory reciprocal of the NT. Broader Terms include as a subclass the concept represented by the main (narrower) term. SCHOOL LIBRARIES Broader Terms Libraries [+] MATHEMATICAL MODELS Broader Terms Models [+] Sometimes a term may have more than one Broader Term: REMEDIAL READING Broader Terms Reading [+]
Reading Instruction [+]
Remedial Instruction [+]

NOTE: In ERIC, computer searching of a Broad Term will not automatically retrieve documents representing the concepts of its Narrower Terms, unless those NTs have also been assigned to the documents in indexing (e.g., searching LIBRARIES will not automatically also retrieve literature on SCHOOL LIBRARIES or any of the other NTs to LIBRARIES). To search automatically the broad term and all its narrower terms, use the Explode function.

RT (Related Term)

Related terms have a close conceptual relationship to the main term, but not the direct class/subclass relationship described by BTs/NTs. Part-whole relationships, near-synonyms, and other conceptually related terms, which might be helpful to the user, appear as RTs.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS Related Terms College Bound Students
Grade 12
High School Freshmen
High School Graduates
Noncollege Bound Students MINIMUM COMPETENCY TESTING Related Terms Academic Achievement [+]
Academic Standards [+]
Basic Skills [+]
Competence [+]
Competency Based Education [+]
Mastery Tests
Minimum Competencies
National Competency Tests
Student Certification
Test Score Decline

Parenthetical Qualifiers

A Parenthetical Qualifier is used to identify a particular indexable meaning of a homograph. In other words, it discriminates between terms (either Descriptors or USE references) that might otherwise be confused with each other. Examples include LETTERS (ALPHABET) and LETTERS (CORRESPONDENCE); SELF EVALUATION (INDIVIDUALS) and SELF EVALUATION (GROUPS).

NOTE: The Qualifier is considered an integral part of the Descriptor and must be used with the Descriptor in indexing and searching.