1. Why is it important to arrange records by location? Some types of information, especially in specialized activities, are more easily accessed based on location within a facility, a locality, a state or province, a country, or a continent. Business activities spanning a wide geographic areas demand intelligent business decisions based on location. Specialized fields such as natural sciences, the oil and gas industry, property records in city, county, state, or federal government, and the facility management profession all use storage methods based on location.
2. Name three kinds of businesses that are likely to use the geographic method of storage. Businesses may include any of the following: multinational companies, e-commerce businesses, oil and gas industry, mining companies, government offices, businesses with many branches, insurance companies, franchised operations, banks, investment firms, utility companies, real estate agencies, government agencies, facilities management operations, scientific institutions, or scientific and other publications.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the geographic storage method? Advantages: Geographic storage provides the speedy reference to information specific to certain geographic areas needed for making sound decisions regarding those locations. It provides reference to information specific to certain geographic areas for making decisions about those locations or for compiling statistics relative to the locations. In addition, the flexibility for expansion or change is an advantage because the entire group of records can be shifted from one file location to another. Disadvantages: One disadvantage is the complexity of the guide and folder arrangement that may be required in some large systems. When many subdivisions are required, a geographic arrangement requires more time to establish than an alphabetic arrangement. Storing and retrieving records can be more time-consuming because reference must be made first to an area (such as a state), then to a location within the area (such as a city), and finally to a correspondent s address and name. Another disadvantage is the need for an alphabetic index of all the correspondent s names and addresses.
4. Explain how the dictionary and encyclopedic arrangements of geographic records differ. The dictionary arrangement is the arrangement of records in alphabetic order; the encyclopedic arrangement is the alphabetic arrangement of major geographic divisions plus one or more geographic subdivisions also arranged in alphabetic order.
5. Explain the difference between the lettered guide plan and the location name guide plan. The lettered guide plan divides each main geographic section into alphabetic sections introduced by a lettered, and sometimes a lettered and numbered guide such as A1, B2, etc. The location name guide plan uses location plan names, such as regions, countries, provinces, states, counties, or cities, as main file divisions.
6. Describe the arrangement if guides and folders in an encyclopedic arrangement of a geographic file using the lettered guide plan. The geographic units covered in the arrangement are state names and city names. Guides: Primary guides in first position are state names; they precede all other guides and folders in their sections. A set of alphabetic guides (A-Z) for city names within each state are behind each state name guide in second position. Special city guides may be used in third position for the more active city name locations in the system. Out guides are in fourth position in line with all folders. Folders: All folders are one-third cut arranged in a straight line at the right of the file drawer. Folder include the following: Individual folders with captions bearing state, city, and correspondent s name are filed alphabetically in the state name section directly behind the lettered guides for the city name (A for Albany, B for Berkeley, etc.). Special city name folders, if used, are placed directly following any special city guides. General city folders bear the same caption as the lettered guide (A1, B2, etc.) and are placed last in the alphabetic section after individual folders. General state folders are not needed because every state section has a set of lettered guides and accompanying lettered folder for storing records for all city names.
7. Explain how an alphabetic index is used in geographic records storage. If the location of a correspondent is forgotten or not known, reference to an index of names arranged alphabetically tells the filer the location at which the records are stored. For numeric file names, the alphabetic index includes the assigned file codes for records stored in a numbered file. The index would include an entry for each of the identification numbers assigned to each file.
8. Explain how indexing and coding for the geographic method are different from indexing and coding for the alphabetic method of records storage. Indexing and coding the correspondents location (address) first for geographic records storage is different from indexing and coding names, subjects, or numbers first in other filing methods. The filing segment is underlined and the filing units numbered above or below the filing segment to show the order in which to consider the geographic filing units for alphabetizing.
9. List three types of cross-references used in the geographic method and state where they are placed or stored in the filing system. Three types of cross-references include: 1. cross-references sheets that are stored in folders to refer the filer to specific records, 2. crossreference guides that are placed in storage as permanent crossreferences, and, 3. SEE ALSO cross-references notations on sheets or on folder tabs.
10. When may files be arranged using compass terms? How does using compass to arrange files differ from general alphabetic filing methods? When filing scientific studies conducted by types of scientists studying the earth s surface, files may be arranged using compass terms. This method differs from the general alphabetic filing methods in that the compass term is treated as an adjective and is filed after the name.