thearchivist.funControlled vocabulary
A controlled vocabulary gives editors a shared set of labels so related records can be found reliably. It can specify preferred spellings, synonyms, and distinctions between terms. For a small archive, this may be a short tag list rather than a complex formal classification system. Define each ambiguous tag and record aliases such as an older term or alternate spelling. Avoid merging labels merely because they look similar if they describe different concepts. Review the vocabulary as the collection grows, preserving mappings when a term changes. Tags are useful retrieval aids, but they do not replace narrative context or a reasoned relationship between records. A record tagged both humor and politics does not by itself explain how humor functions politically; that interpretation belongs in a note or analysis.
Context and provenance
A deliberately maintained set of terms used consistently for description.
Sources and evidence
Editorial review: 2026-09-23. New evidence may change this account.