[SAC-FAST] Arlene's questions

[Arlene Taylor]

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005, Stephen Hearn wrote:

> The other question we'd like to explore with the sample is how well the 
> FAST headings work collectively for searching; but that will be harder to 
> do. Such an evaluation would have to consider interface design, index 
> configuration, sample size and focus--lots of variables not directly 
> related to FAST. The other large question of what kinds of headings would 
> be assigned if we let FAST loose in a world longing for unfettered 
> simplicity can't be answered directly by the sample; but maybe 
> indirectly--we could consider what FAST headings we might have chosen for 
> an item, and why.

I'll be teaching a Subject Analysis course in the summer.  I have
volunteered my students to test searching FAST headings.  I'll be working
with Ed to come up with a way to do this.  If any of you have ideas,
please share.
 
> We also need to talk about how many records we'll be able to review. Five 
> hundred records each is sounding awfully ambitious, unless we can come up 
> with a tiered review--say, 100 records closely and quantifiably reviewed, 
> 400 records skimmed for anomalies and general impressions.

I think a problem with looking at, say, only the first 100 of a group of
500 closely is that a random group of 100 is not likely to have many
personal names, corporate names, or form/genre terms.  Topical and
geographic facets will be plentiful in 100 records, I suspect.  Could we
decide upon a minimum number of records to examine that contain personal
names, corporate names, and form/genre terms, and then go through our 500
looking for the first x number of records with personal names, the first y
number of corporate names, and the first z number of form/genre terms?

--Arlene