Using the DDC
How to Use the Dewey Decimal System
To use the Dewey Decimal system, you will begin with looking at either the category in the system that you need to use, or you might want to go directly to the computer to find a precise number for a certain book.As you have already learned about the broad categories, it will be more helpful for you to see what the system looks like in terms of the smaller categories[1] within the larger categories:
000 General Knowledge
010 Bibliography020 Library and information sciences
030 General encyclopedic works
040 Unassigned
050 General serials and their indexes
060 General organizations and museology
070 News media, journalism, publishing
080 General collections
090 Manuscripts and rare books
100 Philosophy and Psychology
110 Metaphysics120 Epistemology, causation, humankind
130 Paranormal phenomena, Occult
140 Specific philosophical schools
150 Psychology
160 Logic
170 Ethics (moral philosophy)
180 Ancient, medieval, Oriental philosophy
190 Modern Western philosophy
200 Religions and Mythology
210 Natural theology220 Bible
230 Christian theology
240 Christian moral and devotional theology
250 Christian orders and local church
260 Christian social theology
270 Christian church history
280 Christian denominations and sects
290 Other and comparative religions
300 Social sciences
300 Social Sciences and Folklore
310 General statistics320 Political science
330 Economics
340 Law
350 Public administration
360 Social services; associations
370 Education
380 Commerce, communications, transport
390 Customs, etiquette, folklore
400 Language and Grammar
410 Linguistics420 English and Old English
430 Germanic languages German
440 Romance languages French
450 Italian, Romanian languages
460 Spanish and Portuguese languages
470 ltalic languages, Latin
480 Hellenic languages, Classical Greek
490 Other languages
500 Math and Science
510 Mathematics520 Astronomy and allied sciences
530 Physics
540 Chemistry and allied sciences
550 Earth sciences
560 Paleontology, paleozoology
570 Life sciences
580 Botanical sciences
590 Zoological sciences
600 Medicine and Technology
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610 Medical sciences and medicine
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700 Arts
710 Civic and landscape art720 Architecture
730 Plastic arts, sculpture
740 Drawing and decorative arts
750 Painting and paintings (museums)
760 Graphic arts, printmaking & prints, postage stamps
770 Photography and photographs
780 Music
790 Recreational and performing arts
800 Literature
810 American literature820 English and Old English literatures
830 Literatures of Germanic languages
840 Literatures of Romance languages
850 Italian, Romanian literatures
860 Spanish and Portuguese literatures
870 Italic literatures, Latin
880 Hellenic literatures, Classical Greek
890 Literatures of other languages
900 Geography & history
910 Geography and travel920 Biography, genealogy, insignia
930 History of the ancient world
940 General history of Europe
950 General history of Asia, Far East
960 General history of Africa
970 General history of North America
980 General history of South America
990 General history of other areas
While you might be able to remember these categories, referring back to this list before you begin research will help you start your research efficiently.
The Library of Congress System
Many libraries are also turning to the Library of Congress system of organization. This system is used in larger libraries as well as in academic libraries.This system looks like this:
A Generalities
B, BF Philosophy, Psychology
BL – BX Religion
H Social Sciences
PA – PG Language
Q - Science
T - Technology
N, M, GV – Arts, Sports
PQ – PT Literature
G, E, F – Countries, Travel, History
If you can find out which system the library uses, this will help you to find the reference books you need more easily.
NOTE: Different libraries may use different names on the Dewey Decimal system.
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