id author title date pages extension mime words sentence flesch summary cache txt crl-14176 McCarthy, Constance The Reliability Factor in Subject Access 1986-01-01 9 .pdf application/pdf 5954 267 61 Before discussing this matter further, it may be useful to consider briefly the pur- pose of subject headings or descriptors and the ways in which a search based on their use differs from one using free text or key words. My viewpoint on subject headings is that of a consumer, not a producer; my ideas have been arrived at through my experience in Constance McCarthy is assistant head of the reference department at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illi- nois 60201. cache/crl-14176.pdf txt/crl-14176.txt