Concept Evolution Subject Ontogeny in the NLM Classification Scheme: a Case Study

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Concept Evolution (Subject Ontogeny) in the NLM
Classification Scheme a Case Study
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Outline

• Schemes
• Concepts in Schemes
• Concept Evolution in Schemes
• Modified Record for Concepts
• Conclusion

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Schemes
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Schemes

• Classification schemes,
• controlled vocabularies (indexing languages),
• ontologies and taxonomies (newer versions of
  representations not always used as indexing
  languages, tho sharing similar structures and
  appearance).

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Schemes

• Dublin Core calls these encoding schemes 4

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Schemes

• NLM Classification 1
• UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) 2
• Galen Common Reference Model 3

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Concepts in Schemes
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Concepts in Schemes

• Schemes are made up of concepts - identified by
  terms and relationships between terms.
• The structure of classification schemes allows
  the user to identify the concept by both
  terminological access (via index or linked
  subject headings), or through relationships
  between concepts.

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• (Subject Ontogeny)

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• Schemes change - they go through revisions, new
  editions, etc.
• Concepts change because their relationships
  change - as do the terms used to identify these
  concepts.

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• I have metaphorically called this subject
  ontogeny
• Based on a biological term for the development of
  an organism during its lifetime
• Not a great metaphor

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• Evolution (cancellation here) is deployed in the
  NLM in order to aid collocation.
• However, the change splits the materials.

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• As more of our materials are born digital and
  indexed using digital schemes, we can collocate
  through various editions - through the evolution
  of schemes.
• Further, as more of our users interact with our
  collections through interfaces, the move value we
  can add the better we will serve them.

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• If we build structures to aid us in this, we can
  actually maintain and enhance the purpose of
  these schemes - collocation.
• We can also enhance displays allowing for a
  better combination of searching and browsing.

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• What then is required to track these changes?
• We need a concept record that tracks these
  changes.

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Concept Evolution in Schemes

• This kind of record can be modified to account
  for change that is both machine and human
  readable.

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Modified Record for Concepts
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Modified Record for Concepts

• Need to add various aspects of change to the
  record.
• Current records (like above) capture history but
  this is not actionable by machines from the
  record. It is also written in a cryptic
  professional notation.

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Modified Record for Concepts

• We can add fields then that are actionable if
  were specific about what we need.
• In the case of the NLM we can say what was added
  and what was canceled, making it actionable in
  the record.

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Modified Record for Concepts

• Class Number
• Subject in English
• Date Created
• Previous Number
• Broader Number
• Narrower Number
• Coordinate Number

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Conclusion
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Conclusion

• We can make these fields manifest in our
  catalogues by exploiting current data structures.
• MARC Classification Format offers all of these
  fields
• Currently these are all optional

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Conclusion

• These are the Tracing fields
• Special Relationship - Previous class number, New
  class number
• Hierarchical Relationship - Broader and Narrower
  topics

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Conclusion

• These structures could then be used to enhance
  search and display in catalogues.
• And initiatives like this are developing -
  exploiting MARC data structures for users - not
  just professionals.

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Conclusion

• With this kind of record used - we can build
  better displays and better systems,
• Enhancing the user experience
• Aiding browsing and navigation through vast
  amount of information.

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References

• 1 http//wwwcf.nlm.nih.gov/class/
• 2 http//www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/
• 3 http//www.opengalen.org/open/crm/
• 4 http//www.dublincore.org/documents/usageguide/g
  lossary.shtmlE
• 5 http//www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowser.html

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Thank you

• jtennis_at_interchange.ubc.ca
• www.slais.ubc.ca