Background:

For fifteen years during 1970s and 1980s it was editorial practice to require a General works caption in the classification schedules if any subtopics appeared under a topic. This practice resulted in a layout in which topical captions are unnumbered and are followed by a numbered General works caption and numbered subtopics. Example:

In 1988 this practice was changed, and General works captions were eliminated under most conditions. The decision to make that change was based on an early draft of the proposed classification format and on assumptions about how the format would handle hierarchy in classification records. As the format evolved into the version that was provisionally approved in 1990, these assumptions proved not to be true, and it became apparent that General Works number and captions will in fact be needed in order to create proper hierarchical displays of classification information online. As a result, the pre-1988 practice has been reinstated.

Procedures:

1. Provide General works captions for a topic whenever there are any subtopics or form number indented hierarchically under the topic. Example:

2. Do not add any other topic to a General works caption line. Do not provide an "including" note or other notes describing usage under a General works caption. If such notes are needed, locate them under the topical caption under which the General works number is indented. Example:

See also:

Form Captions