Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors with a Special Chapter on The Role of the Thesaurus in Education by Frederick Goodman

The Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors was developed by the Educational Resources Information Center, a national information system funded by the U.S. Office of Education. First published in the late 1960s and updated throughout the 1970s, it was designed to serve as the standardized vocabulary for indexing and searching the vast collection of education-related literature within the ERIC database. By providing a controlled set of terms, the publication sought to eliminate the ambiguity of natural language, allowing researchers and librarians to retrieve precise information across an increasingly digitized academic landscape.

This particular edition features a unique chapter by Frederick Goodman, who explored the theoretical and practical implications of controlled vocabulary systems within the broader context of educational research. The design of the volume reflects its purpose as a functional, technical reference tool, favoring clarity and structural hierarchy over aesthetic ornamentation. It was widely adopted by universities and research institutions as an essential instrument for information management, establishing a foundational model for systematic knowledge organization in the field of education.