Copyright © 2006 Access Innovations, Inc. 1 Building Taxonomies Part 2 Alice Redmond-Neal Access Innovations, Inc. Enterprise Search Summit New York City,

Copyright © 2006 Access Innovations, Inc. 1

Building Building TaxonomiesTaxonomies

Part 2Part 2 Alice Redmond-NealAccess Innovations, Inc.

Enterprise Search SummitNew York City, May 21, 2006


How do you choose the How do you choose the words?words?Let’s talk about Let’s talk about termsterms and and taxonomiestaxonomies

How do you choose the How do you choose the words?words?Let’s talk about Let’s talk about termsterms and and taxonomiestaxonomies• How to choose terms• How to ensure term clarity, avoid

ambiguity– Vocabulary control—why and how

• How to format terms• Terms within a taxonomy—the big

picture


How do you choose terms?How do you choose terms?How do you choose terms?How do you choose terms?

• Importance in the subject area• Use in the literature, by the

organization or community• Necessary degree of specificity or

detail• Relationship with other controlled

vocabularies


Vocabulary control – why?Vocabulary control – why?Vocabulary control – why?Vocabulary control – why?

“The need for vocabulary control arises from two basic features of natural language, namely:

two or more words or terms can be used to represent a single concept, and

two or more words that have the same spelling can represent different concepts.”

ANSI/NISO Z39.19-2005


Vocabulary control Vocabulary control through through

disambiguationdisambiguation

Vocabulary control Vocabulary control through through

disambiguationdisambiguationSynonyms – de-duplicate meanings• Multiple words for the same concept

– President of the United States, POTUS– Biological technology, Biotech

Homographs (polysemes) – eliminate ambiguity

• Same written word used for multiple meanings– Balloon—which kind?, Box—which kind?– Cells, Mercury, Records, Bridge/Bridges,

Bush


Vocabulary control – how?Vocabulary control – how?Vocabulary control – how?Vocabulary control – how?

Organize terms• to show which of two or more

synonymous terms is preferred or authorized for use

• to distinguish between homographs• to indicate hierarchical and

associative relationships among terms


Vocabulary control – in Vocabulary control – in practicepracticeVocabulary control – in Vocabulary control – in practicepractice

• Use unambiguous terms, clear to the user group

• Distinguish between terms that appear similar

• Use Scope Notes when necessary• Use terms as elements that can be

coordinated in a flexible manner • Create compound terms

(noun+modifier) when necessary


One term / one conceptOne term / one conceptOne term / one conceptOne term / one concept

• “Terms in a thesaurus should represent simple or unitary concepts…” (ISO standard)

• “Each descriptor included in a thesaurus should represent a single concept (or unit of thought). …frequently expressed by a single-word term but in many cases a multiword term is required.” (ANSI/NISO Z39.19-2005)


A “term” synonym ringA “term” synonym ringA “term” synonym ringA “term” synonym ring

Term

Node

Subject headingCategory

Descriptor


So what’s a So what’s a conceptconcept??So what’s a So what’s a conceptconcept??• “A unit of thought, formed by mentally

combining some or all of the characteristics of a concrete or abstract, real or imaginary object. Concepts exist in the mind as abstract entities independent of terms used to express them.”

• Three main categories– Abstract concepts– Concrete entities– Proper nouns


Concrete entities as termsConcrete entities as termsConcrete entities as termsConcrete entities as terms• Things and their physical parts

– primates• head

– buildings• floors

• Materials– cement – wood – lead


Abstract concepts as Abstract concepts as termstermsAbstract concepts as Abstract concepts as termsterms

• Actions and events– evolution, skating, management, ceremonies

• Abstract entitites– law, theory

• Properties of things, materials, and actions– strength, efficiency

• Disciplines and sciences– physics, meteorology, mathematics

• Units of measurement– pounds, kilograms, miles, meters,

nanoseconds


Proper nouns as termsProper nouns as termsProper nouns as termsProper nouns as terms

• Individual entities – “classes of one” – expressed as proper nouns – San Francisco, Lake Michigan

Thesaurus standards prefer to exclude proper names, persons, and trade names.

Extensive lists authority files.Taxonomies include them as final nodes.


Pop quiz – which qualify as Pop quiz – which qualify as terms?terms?Pop quiz – which qualify as Pop quiz – which qualify as terms?terms?• rooms• living rooms• living room furniture “single unit

of thought”• schools• public schools• public school curricula

• marketing and advertising

• societal issues information ethics, plagiarism, credibility information literacy, lifelong learning


Would you agree?Would you agree?Would you agree?Would you agree?• rooms• living rooms• living room furniture “single unit

of thought”• schools• public schools• public school curricula

• marketing and advertising

• societal issues information ethics, plagiarism, credibility information literacy, lifelong learning

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Copyright © 2006 Access Innovations, Inc. 1 Building Taxonomies Part 2 Alice Redmond-Neal Access Innovations, Inc. Enterprise Search Summit New York City,