6 Work in the idea plan: formation of arrays and chains
Dr M P Satija
Structure:
1. Introduction: Historical perspectives
2. Postulational Approach
2.1 Three Planes of Work
3. Idea Plane
4. Diagram of Arrays and Chains
5. Canons for Arrays
5.1 Canon of Exhaustiveness
5.2 Canon of Exclusiveness
5.3 Canon of Helpful Sequence
5.4 Canon of Consistent sequence
6. Chain : Definition and Features
6.1 Canons for Chain of Classes
6.1.1 The Canon of Decreasing Extension
6.1.2 Canon of Modulation
7 Canons for Filiatory sequence
8 Summary
9 Glossary
10 Further Readings
11 Test Questions
1. Introduction: Historical perspectives
Modern library classification started in the late nineteenth century. Initially, classification systems such as DDC, UDC and the LCC were developed without much theory to guide the technical work of organizing knowledge. Classification design was the field of a few geniuses who were guided mostly by their intuition and flair. W.C.B. Sayers (1881-1960), a respected teacher in the University College, London derived theory of classification in the form of canons in his famous books. Other two pioneering names are of E.W. Hulme (1859-1951) of UK and E.C. Richardson (1860- 1939) of USA. Their work on the theory of classification was mostly descriptive of the existing schemes. It was a descriptive phase of the theory of library classification. Then came H.E. Bliss (1870-1955), a par excellence philosopher,theorist and designer of classification. He spent his life in designing his classification entitled Bibliographic Classification (1935,1940-1953). But prior to that he delved deep and long into the theoretical foundations of library classification based on the empirical foundations of knowledge and its organization in his two famous books published by H.W. Wilson Co., New York:
· Organizing of knowledge and system of sciences (1929)
· Organization of knowledge and subject approach to books in libraries (1933, 2nd ed 1939).
Bliss formulated many canons and principles of classification to guide the designing of classifications. But that was a phase of descriptive theory moving towards a dynamic one.
2. Postulational Approach
Postulational approach means going about the work of designing classification system by a pre-mediated theory in the form of Laws, Canons, Principles and Postulates. When Ranganathan designed his Colon Classification between (1924,1928-1933), ironically he did it without any formulated theory. Indeed he had learnt some canons of classification in the classification classes of his most revered teacher W.C.B Sayers. After the publication of his CC in 1933 Ranganathan started thinking about the theory behind it that lay it his unconscious mind while designing the CC, and ultimately published in his famous book : Prolegomena to library classification (1937, 2nd ed. 1957, 3rd ed. 1967). That theory was so comprehensive and objective that it became theory of classification in general. He formulated objective even mechanical methods to design a classification system. Apart from the Five (Normative) Laws of Library Science, he formulated 55 Canons, 22 Principles, 13 Postulates and 10 devices for design and evaluation of classification systems. The postulational approach to classification is not only helpful in designing new systems, but also serves as a touchstone to test the scientific rigour of any system. It can also be used to compare two or more systems as a benchmark. With the postulational approach, classification teaching and learning has been put on a sound footing. Ranganthan thus liberated classification design from the elusive flair and intuition, and raised it to the status of a science.
2.1 Three planes of work:
For this he divided the whole work into three planes of work, namely, Idea, Verbal and Notational planes. He neatly delineated the entire work to be carried out in each plane. Practically the work in the three planes gets intermixed even intertwined. The work in these planes can not be differentiated with sufficient margins. There cannot be watertight compartmentalization of the planes. The work cannot be accomplished without keeping the whole picture in mind at every stage and step.
3. Idea Plane
It is a plane of foremost importance where core intellectual work is done. The work here pertains to the choice of the model, defining the subject, its scope and sources of terms and concepts. Core classificatory work is the choice of characteristics and order of their application to produce categories of concepts (called facets and isolates), as said in the earlier unit. Further it is to arrange the isolates into arrays and chains. Ranganathan has given following five sets of canons for the work in the Idea Plane.
5. Canons forArrays
An array is a horizontal line of entities of equal rank arranged in some systematic order. For example, all the children of a parent make an array. In the same vein, all the seven continents of the earth make an array. All the 29 States of India make an array. All the main classes of a classification scheme make an array. An array is formed by the one time dissection of a group by applying a single characteristic.
Ranganathan has prescribed the following Canons for their formation:
· Canon of Exhaustiveness
· Canon of Exclusiveness
· Canon of Helpful Sequence
· Canon of Consistent sequence
5.1 Canon of Exhaustiveness
It means, an array should be all inclusive of its eligible members. Nothing should be left out. See the following array of men by colour:
· Whites
· Blacks
· Brown
This array is not exhaustive as it does not include many other colours men may be born with such as pale yellow, fair, wheatish. Hence while forming an array every member should be included, otherwise classification will not be comprehensive. To make an array exhaustive of the immediate universe of members in a classification schedule, a place is provided for residual classes dumped under the headings ‘others’. Knowledge being dynamic new members of equal rank may emerge in future. Therefore, every library classification system has to make provision for accommodation of potential subjects in future. This is called hospitality — which has been discussed in the module of notation.
5.2 Canon of Exclusiveness:
Exclusiveness means that a entity should belong to one and only one array; there should be no overlapping of two arrays of the same immediate universe. Groups should be parallel. In other words a member should not be included into two groups at the same time. For example, in classification of dogs either they should be kept under mammals or under pets, not under both, as it will result in what is called cross classification. But in electronic databases an entity, being virtual (non physical), can be placed at more than one place. Hence in the e-environment and OPACs cross classification is a boon as it provides an extra access points and increases the probability of retrieval or gives high recall value.
5.3 Canon of Helpful Sequence:
It demands that entities should be arranged in some logical, predictable and helpful order. For example, all the children of a father can be arranged by age. As another example, all the students of a class can be arranged by merit or alphabetically by name. Both are systematic. There are numerous ways for the systematic and helpful arrangement of entities in an array.This has been fully explained in the next module.
5.4 Canon of Consistent Sequence:
It means that if a set of entities occurs at different places then their arrangement should be the same everywhere. For example, the terms male, female and child occur in main classes Psychology, Education, and even Law. Their sequence should be the same in all these classes. As another example, names of countries occur in the main classes Geography and History. According to this canon the sequence of countries in the above main classes should be the same. Languages of the world occur both in linguistics and literature main classes. Their order in the DDc, UDC and the CC is the same.
Ranganathan has stressed that maintenance of consistency is subject to being helpful and logical. Consistency can be ensured by observing the canons of mnemonics in notation, or by the use of devises for number synthesis.
6. Chain: Definition and Features:
As a result of successive application of characteristics to a group not all members will be of equal rank. The group gets divided into wholes, their parts, kinds and various species and subspecies. Such wholes and their parts should be kept together to form a chain of classes. A Chain is a sequence of entities in successive subordination. A chain moves down from general to specific, broader to narrower. As it moves down extension of its members goes on decreasing while their intension goes on increasing. This is known as hierarchical order. For example, Grandfather, father, sons, grandchildren make a chain. Also World- Asia- India- Punjab- Amritsar makes a chain of classes. Members in a chain are in lineal kinship. Chain and hierarchy are two sides of the same coin.
6.1 Canons for Chain of Classes:
There are two self evident canons for arranging entities in a chain:
- Canon of Decreasing Extension
- Canon of Modulation
6.1.1 The Canon of Decreasing Extension:
It means that the entities should be arranged in a broader to narrower or general to specific, or whole to parts order. For example, Asia, South Asia, India, North India, Delhi makes a chain of classes in decreasing extension. Social sciences – Economics – Financial Economic – Money – Banking make another chain of broader to narrower classes. As we move down the chain extension (breadth) of entities goes on decreasing while their intension (depth) goes on increasing.
6.1.2 Canon of Modulation:
It means that no intervening link should be missed in the classes arranged in their decreasing extensions: no gaps, no jumping; no snapping. In the first example, we should not directly jump from North India to Amritsar omitting Punjab. Though this snapped chain will satisfy the canon of decreasing extension, but will violate the canon of modulation. This means that at every step we should apply the broadest possible characteristic. India should not be divided directly into cities and states, but first into states and UTs and then into districts, and further to cities and towns.
In this way in the Idea plane we will have a network of discrete facets and isolates arranged and laid out in a network of arrays and chains. These will be arranged in a filiatory sequence in the schedules.
3. CanonsforFiliatorysequence:
It is a set of two canons :
- Canon of subordinate classes
- Canon of coordinate classes
It is concerned with the layout of the classes in arrays and chains in printed schedules. In arrays and chains, the classes exist in two dimensions, whereas in the schedule these have to be printed in a single linear order. This canon lays down that while listing, classes should not be separated from their immediate genus. If we are to arrange in a filiatory sequence the classes as in the diagram, their order should be :
A, A1, A2, A21, A22, A221, A222, A223, A223, A23, A3, B, C, D, D1, D2, D3.
As another example, if you are making a chart of your joint family lineage, then you and your brothers/sisters should be listed under your father. Your cousins i.e. children of your uncle and aunt, which make a collateral arrays with you, should be listed under their parents. For a filiatory sequence, children should not be separated from their parents, or species from the genus.
4. Summary
Since the late nineteenth century we have reached a stage where we have developed a well rounded theory of classification. In the Pre-World War II era the theory of classification was only descriptive, that is what could be inferred from the already published classification systems such as the DDC, LCC. But the theorists like C.A. Cutter, W.C.B, Sayers, E.C. Richardson, H.E. Bliss, S.R. Ranganathan and groups like CRG, London, FID/CR, or DRTC Bangalore have contributed considerably towards a pre- mediated theory of classification systems design and evaluation. Ranganathan rather delved much deeper than others and formed a discretely detailed, minute and formal theory on every aspect of library classification. He divided the whole work into three Planes which he called Idea, Verbal and Notational planes and formulated the various objective canons and principles for work in these phases. In the Idea plane subject constituents are sorted into discrete concepts by selection and successive application of characteristics. Sorted out discrete elements called facets and their isolates by Ranganathan are arranged in arrays and chains by use of exclusive canons for them. Ranganathan followed postulational approach in designing classification system. This approach has not only made designing classification objective and mechanical but has also provided a standard reference for evaluation and comparison of classification system. Above all teaching and learning of classification has become objective.
5. GlossaryArray:
A group of entities/classes of equal rank, having the same genus, and arranged in some predictable/systematic order.
Canons: Normative principles applicable to a branch of a subject, e.g., Canons of cataloging, Canons of classification.
Chain: A sequence of classes in successive subordination or in genus-species, or hierarchical order. Entities get arranged automatically in their decreasing extension. A family lineage forms a chain. Chain moves vertically downwards.
Filiatory sequence: In the linear arrangement of entities comprising of many merged/coalesced arrays and chains, a chain should be completed before a new array starts. Clearly speaking, in listing members of a large family, children should be placed close to their parents.
Helpful sequence: Order of entities in an array which is helpful or of some aid to majority of the library users. However, no order can be helpful to all the users. Ranganathan has given eight orders in which entities in an array can be arranged.
Idea Plane: The first phase of classification work which settles the theory, prepares plans and blueprint of the entire work.
Modulation: Principle that in a chain there should be no missing link in between: In other words, there should be no interruption or gap in the chain.
Planes of work: Three successive phases of work to divide the work of classification in three distinct Sectors called Idea, Verbal and Notational planes, respectively.
Postulational approach : Work of designing classification systems based on a pre- mediated theory in the form of normative principles, Canons, Principles, and Postulates.
- Buchanan, Brian. 1979. Theory of Library Classification. London: Bingley, pp. 17-26.
- Hunter, Eric J. 2009. Classification Made Simple, 3rd ed. Farnham, UK: Ashgate, pp. 12- 23.
- Krishan Kumar. 2004. Theory of Classification. New Delhi: Vikas, pp. 108-134.
- Maltby, Arthur. 1975. Sayers’ Manual of Classification for Librarians.5th ed. London: Andre Deutsch ,pp.29-53
- Parkhi, R.S. 1972. Library Classification: Evolution of a Dynamic Theory, Delhi: Vikas, pp 52-101.
- Ranganathan, S.R. 1967. Prolegomena to Library Classification, 3rd ed. Mumbai: Asia, pp. 143-216.
- Satija, M.P. 2004. A Dictionary of Knowledge organization, Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University, 248 p.
- Sayers, W.C.B.1926.Manual of Classification. London
Learn More:
Module LIS/KOP – C/5(2): Work in the Idea Plane: Formation of arrays and chains
- Do you know
- Knowledge classification is a systematically woven networks of concepts in arrays and chains.
- S R Ranganathan mechanised the work of designing classification systems by dividing into three phases called Idea, Verbal and Notational planes.
2. Points to remember
- Work in the three planes enshrines the full theory of library classification. It can also be used to evaluate any or compare two classification systems.
- An array is a sequence of entities of equal ranks derived from the same source and arranged in a systematic order.
- Helpful order can be achieved by applying any of the Principle of Helpful Sequence.
- Entities in a chain are in a successive subordination order from general to specific.