Lexicon control is used when you need something more precise than keyword searching on a free-text field, AND the terms which are allowed to be used in the field won't fit in a short alphabetical list. If all you need is a flat alphabetical list of options, the field can be term-controlled, and the options will appear as a drop-down.

Typical term-controlled fields include: Department, Collection, Gender, and Class. All of these fields are governed by short, alphabetically-ordered lists. Term-controlled fields offer the strictest data entry control because approved terms must be selected from a finite list of options.

eg. Gender  
	Male
	Female

Lexicon fields offer less control in that data entry staff can select from the whole Lexicon and most of the terms in it will not be appropriate the records they're working on. Data entry staff will need more training, supervision, pop-help information and other documentation to ensure consistent data entry into Lexicon-controlled fields.

Rules of Thumb

1. If the term list includes fewer than 15 appropriate terms, the list is probably small enough to be a term-controlled field.

2. If you can type most of the appropriate terms into the field quicker than you can scroll through the list to click and select them, it is probably small enough to be a term-controlled field.

3. If all the terms in the list fit into only one hierarchy with no other broader terms (eg. Male, Female), it is probably small enough to be term-controlled field.

Typical Lexicon-controlled fields include: Object Name, Subject (Topic), Subject (Image), Material, Place, Event, Styles and Periods, and People or Organizations. These are fields that usually contain terms that fit nicely into a hierarchical structure, and/or where many of the terms have alternative forms that you want to include. In ARGUS, Lexicon fields will always be superfields.