Vocabulary

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Vocabulary
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information
analysis
translation
database
standards
translation
analysis
queries
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System Vocabularies

• Controlled vocabularies
• Natural language
• Free language

Example An article on User education in
academic libraries in Edmonton If you assign
the terms From a controlled list of
terms, such as LCSH (controlled language
indexing) From the actual work
(Natural language indexing) From
you own understanding (free indexing)
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Controlled vocabulary

• a limited vocabulary from which an indexer or
  cataloguer exclusively chooses terms for
  describing the subject content of a document
• one and only one term or notation for each
  concept and
• a structure that defines the relationships
  between concepts.

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Controlled vocabulariesFunctions

• Choosing concepts a limited system of
  signifieds ( the concept that represents a sign)
• Naming concepts signifiers (the form which the
  sign takes)
• Defining relationships between concepts
  structure that makes it a code
• e.g. encyclopedias are a category of
  reference books

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Choosing concepts

• Literary warrant (publications and literature)
• User warrant (users terminology or language)

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Choosing concepts

• Consider
• The purpose and potential users of the collection
• The categories of characteristics to use as
  access points
• The particular instances within each category
  that need to be included (e.g. if the category is
  color will primary colors be enough or do you
  want the color of a big box of crayons)

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Examples of Controlled Vocabularies

• Subject Heading Lists
• Canadian Subject Headings (CSH)
  http//www.collectionscanada.ca/csh-bin/search/l0
  
• Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
• Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
• http//www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowser.html
• Thesauri
• Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors
• ASIS Thesaurus of Information Science
• Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)

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Examples

• Fruits
• Meats

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Naming concepts

• Terms for concepts preferred terms,
  authoritative headings
• Synonyms
• e.g. Teleworking distance working
• Dish washers wash-up machines

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Naming Concepts

• Forms of terms
• Spelling variants
• Abbreviations/acronyms
• Parts of speech nouns or noun phrases
• Number plural for count (quantity) singular
  for non-count (volume)
• Avoid punctuation

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doctor doctors physician physicians United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization UNESCO Alberta Motor Association
AMA opera operas grain grains color
colour co-operation cooperation London London,
Ontario pay equity equal pay for work of equal
value fire insurance insurance, fire car
insurance automobile insurance auto
insurance insurance, car insurance, automobile
insurance, auto
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Naming concepts

• Multi-word concepts
• Separate terms unless they need to be together
  because their meaning changes in combination
• Examples
• library school/school library
• trade winds
• fire weed

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Naming Concepts

• Equivalence relationships UF/USE
• Reciprocal, e.g.
• Information centres USE Libraries
• Learning centres USE Libraries
• Libraries
• UF Information centres
• Learning centres

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Relationships between concepts

• Hierarchical relationships BT/NT
• Associative relationships RT/RT
• e.g. social working can be an RT for social work
• Always reciprocal

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Cooking NT baking boiling braising frying stea
ming Deep fat frying BT frying Frying BT cooking N
T deep fat frying stir frying Stir frying
BT frying
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Stir frying BT frying RT woks Woks BT cooking
utensils RT stir frying
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female intensive occupations UF female
dominated careers female dominated
occupations female dominated
professions nontraditional careers
nontraditional occupations women
intensive careers women intensive
occupations women intensive
professions BT occupations NT
administrative assistants affirmative
action officers
librarians librarians BT education
occupations female intensive
occupations professional occupations
RT information scientists
education occupations BT occupations NT
affirmative action officers
chairpersons coaches
college presidents coordinators
counselors deans
educators librarians
female dominated careers USE female
intensive occupations female dominated
occupations USE female intensive
occupations female dominated professions USE
female intensive occupations
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Faceted classification

• The process of subject analysis into facets
• It is used to produce a schedule of standard
  terms their relationships to one another, to be
  used in the subject classification of documents
• Key analysis single concepts must be
  identified and distinguished from one another

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Example

• Cats
• (By habitat)
• Wild cats
• (by breed)
• Mountain cats
• Jungle cats
• Domestic cats
• (By breed)
• Short-haired cats
• Long-haired cats

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Facets, Arrays, Citation Order

• Literature
• language English, Ukrainian, Chinese, Cree, etc.
• genre poetry, drama, fiction, essays, etc.
• period 15th century, 16th century, 17th century,
  18th century, 19th century, 20th century

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Literature
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Facets, Arrays, Citation Order

• Flowers
• colour of bloom blue, red, purple, white, yellow
• season of bloom spring, summer, winter
• height tall, medium, short
• light requirements shade, partial shade, sun
• moisture requirements wet, dry