Fatores interferentes no processo de análise de assunto: estudo de caso de indexadores

Abstract

In Information Science context, Subject Analysis is considered one of the most important stages in Indexing. The indexer is the responsible for this activity, and he begins the process with subjectivity, previous knowledge, academic formation and background. The Subject Analysis process is divided into three phases: reading of the text by the indexer, extraction of concepts and aboutness.An interdisciplinarity with Linguistics, Cognitive Psychology and Logics is observed. The objective of the research is to identify factors that interfere with Subject Analysis, and an exploratory study is done with case study by seven indexers divided into groups according to their different backgrounds. Two assumptions are defined: (1) the factors that interfere with Subject Analysis vary according to the indexers` backgrounds and (2) Subject Analysis occurs differently in knowledge areas, by their specificities. The methodology adopted: an interview with verbal protocols analysis, the "think aloud" method, to know how the process occurs, and the observation of the behaviour of the interviewers. The indexers are asked to analyse the subjects of two texts, one of Sociology and other of Botany. The factors identified are divided into categories and comparative studies are done between the factors interfering in the analysis of each group of indexers, and between their analysis of the texts. The results show that the primordial question to the development of Subject Analysis process is text comprehension and that Information Science should try to obtain contributions from interdisciplinary areas. It also proved that the indexer with more experience with indexing technics has more confidence, background and capacity to decide complex situations. However if if he has to analyse the subject of a text whose area he doesnt know he will probably have problems with the same factors that interfere in an analysis done by an inexperienced indexer. Among the factors connected to the text which helps its understanding, the summary was the most mentioned, while the periodical title was ignored. A reference was also made to the two aspects that synthesize the ideas defended in the study: the necessity to know the subject area and the definition of its subject. Its very important to do that before worrying over its inclusion in a subject classification system. All the factors mentioned in the study are linked with cognitive, linguistics and logic factors, and if the process is developed by a person, he thinks and if he thinks he follows a logic reasoning with a good dosage of subjectivity.