Formatting Call Numbers for Vanderbilt Theses:

Theses from the Graduate School are classed together by discipline in “artificially” constructed numbers.  Both copies of the theses (the circulating and special collections copies) get the same call number.

The number is formatted in the following way:

(Refer to Classification section )

Each discipline has its own classification.  For example, all history theses are classed in D24.  All biology theses are in QH308.  The Classification section lists all of the possible disciplines with the appropriate numbers.  This forms the first part of the thesis call number.

The second part is the cutter.  In general, all the humanities/social sciences, and also computer science, audiology and speech pathology, and pharmacology, are given the cutter .V35.  The rest are cuttered .V3.  These are expanded upon with an “adapted schedule and LC cutter table” for applying the first letter of the author’s last name.

The name is further cuttered with the SECOND letter of the author’s last name and expanded using the attached table.

The final portion is the date, which corresponds to the date of the thesis.

Thus, a call number for a thesis by a graduate named Cheryl Smith, who received a degree in psychology in 1997, would be formulated in the following way:

BF 38  (for psychology)

.V3529 (.V35 for psychology, 29 for S)

M474 (M for sMith, 474 for smITH)

1997

Then if the same Cheryl Smith  receives a later degree from Vanderbilt in the same subject [Example:Title of second example above piece is: The beginning signs of depression from long-term employment at Vanderbilt libraries ], you would formulate the call number for that piece as follows:

BF 38 (for psychology)

.V3529 (.V35 for psychology, 29 for S)

M474B(M for sMith, 474 for smITH as for 1st theses HOWEVER you refer to the 1st word in the title of the second piece by Ms. Smith (disregard articles) and add a CAPITAL letter for that 1st word at the end of  your call number for second piece.

199? (date of piece)

This keeps both pieces by this author side-by-side on the shelf.

Classification Section

Adapted schedule and LC cutter table for theses:

(where x stands for the cutter .V3 or .V35):

Author's last name begins with this letter:

Cutter table:

If the second letter is a CONSONANT (other than S) for succeeding letters use:

a    e    i    l    o   r    u    y

2    3   4   5   6   7   8    9

If the second letter is a VOWEL or S

for succeeding letters use:

a     c     e     i         l          m           n      o       r     u       y

1     2     3    4     51-53    54-56   57-59   6     7     8      9

Peabody theses	Call numbers
Ed. D.	LB 5 .G42
Doctoral study	LB 5 .G45
Masters	LB 5 .G5
Ph. D. LB 5 .G4  (obsolete)	Ed. S.  LB 5 .G43 (obsolete)
Discipline	655 heading (|vTheses.)
Curriculum and Instructional Leadership	Curriculum planning
Curriculum and Supervision	Curriculum planning
Early childhood education	Early childhood education
Elementary education	Education, Elementary
English Education	English  language|xStudy and teaching
General Administrative Leadership	Administrative leadership
Higher Education Administration	Education, Higher
Human Development Counseling	Counseling
Human Resource Development	Education
Language & Literacy Education	Reading
Mathematics Education	Mathematics|xStudy and teaching
Reading Education	Reading
School Administration	School management and organization
Science Education	Science|xStudy and teaching
Special Education	Special Education