Controlled Vocabularies: an Overview
MURTHA BACA
DESCRIPTIVE METADATA WORKSHOP AT REED COLLEGE MAY 28, 2010
TYPOLOGY of DATA STANDARDS
Data structure standards (metadata element sets): MARC, EAD, Dublin Core, CDWA, VRA Core Categories Data content standards (cataloging rules): AACR (ÎRDA), ISBD, CCO, DACS Data value standards (vocabularies): LCSH, LCNAF, TGM, AAT, ULAN , TGN, MeSH DtData forma tstddtandards (tdd(standards expresse d in machine-readable form): MARC, MARCXML, MODS, EAD, CDWA Lite XML, Dublin Core Simple XML schema, DC Qualified XML schema, VRA Core XML schema
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 1 What are vocabularies?
y Maps to guide people to information { creating / filli ng { searching / researching { organizing / classifying / thinking y Collections of terminology where relationships between terms are represented y Data value standards (i.e. what is used to “fill” metadata elements/categories or “containers” of information)
What are vocabularies?
“Knowledge bases” -- bodies of knowledge represented by language (glossaries, dictionaries, thesauri, word lists)
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 2 Types of terms in vocabularies
personal names: Collate, Charles B. geographic names: Campbeltown (Argyll and Bute, SSldcotland, UK) object names: clack valve corporate names: Cambrian Railways iconographic subjects and themes: The Legend of John Henry genre terms: political cartoons, fish stories multilingual equivalents: flat car (English) = Schienenwagen (German) = platforma (atklata) (Latvian)
What is a controlled vocabulary?
A tool for consistency in the language used in the recording and retrieval of information
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 3 What is a controlled vocabulary?
An organized arrangement of words and phhrases that are used to index content and/or to retrieve content through navigation or a search
TTypi ically ll a voca bul ary that incl ud es preferred terms and has a limited scope or describes a specific domain
Types of Controlled Vocabularies
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 4 Controlled Lists
Simple lists of terms used to control terminology In a well-constructed controlled list: Each term must be unique (no homographs). Terms should all be members of the same class. Terms should not be overlapping in meaning Terms should be equal in granularity or specificity. Terms should be arranged alphabetically or in another logical order .
Controlled Lists cont.
May include terms from other controlled vocabulary resources (especially standard published vocabularies)
For some elements or fields in a database, a controlled list may be sufficient to control terminology, p articularly where the terminology for that field is limited and unlikely to have synonyms or ancillary information. (Example: artists’ roles in ULAN, place types in TGN).
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 5 Subject Headings
Compilations, usually in alphabetical order, that combine separate concepts into a “string,” as in the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) Commercial fishing -- Japanese competition Salmon fisheries -- law and legislation -- California
Subject Headings cont.
Pre-coordination of terminology is a characteristic of subject headings; subject headings typically combine several unique concepts together.
Subject headings--Pictures. Pictures--Computer network resources. World Wide Web--Subject access.
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 6 Authority Files
• Compilations of authorized terms or headings used by a single information system, organization, or consortium for cataloging, indexing, and documentation. • Main purpose is to regulate usage. • Include synonyms (“See” references) and related or associated terms (“See also” references). • Examples include Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF), local authorities for names, subjects, etc. • Authority files may take the form of thesauri, word lists, etc.—in other words, any kind of controlled vocabulary can be used as an authority.
Taxonomies/Classifications
Vocabularies that orggyanize a body of knowledge for a defined domain into conceptual categories, e.g. Nomenclature for Museum Cataloging, ICONCLASS. The Greek heroic legends Story of Hercules (Heracles) LbLabors of Hercul es Hercules chokes the Nemean lion Hercules kills the Hydra of Lerna Hercules captures the Ceryneian hind Hercules captures the Cretan bull
http://www.iconclass.nl/
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 7 Thesauri
Compilations of terms representing single concepts. Thesauri explicitly express relationships among terms via a semantic structure.
Thesauri cont.
Terms in a thesaurus may have the following three types of relationships:
Equivalence Hierarchical Associative
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 8 Thesaural Relationships
y Equivalence { synonyms, spelling variations, language variations y Hierarchical { broader to narrower Ùwhole/part Ùgenus/species y Associative { related concepts
Equivalence Relationship: Terms/names denote the same thing—a preferred name is used for displays
Bulgarini, Bartolomeo (Sienese painter, circa 1337-1378) Lorenzetti, Ugolino Master of the Ovile Madonna Ovile Master
example from ULAN
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 9 Equivalence Relationship
y still lifes y still life y still-lifes y still lives y nature morte y natura morta y stilleven y Stilleben y vie coye y ontbijtje y banketje
Whole/Part Relationship: “children” or narrower terms are part of the parent or broader term
España...... (nation) Andalucía...... (region) Almería...... (province) Cádiz...... (province) Córdoba...... (province) Granada...... (province) Huelva...... (province) Málaga...... (province) Sevilla...... (province)
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 10 Genus/Species Relationship: “children” represent types of the “parent” or broader term
funerary sculpture brasses effigies gisants... haniwa tomb slabs ushabti
Associative Relationship: terms are related conceptually, but not necessarily hierarchically
Descriptor: charterhouses Hierarchy: Built Complexes and Districts Scope note - Carthusian monasteries. Alternate Forms of Speech {ALT}: charterhouse Synonyms and spelling variants {UF}: certose charter houses chartreuses Related concepts: Carthusian (Religions hierarchy)
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 11 Vocabularies provide
intellectual “paths” that can improve access to information Harlem Renaissance Negro Renaissance New Negro Movement Renaissance, Harlem Renaissance, Negro
Example from the AAT Jacob Lawrence Tombstones, 1942
Why do we need vocabularies?
y Because of national and regional differences: lorries vs. trucks, lifts vs. elevators, Tom Thumb golf courses vs. miitiniature golf courses y Because of historical vs. contemporary names: Iran vs. Persia vs. Islamic Republic of Iran y Because of political and social changes: KhoiKhoi vs. Hottentot y Because of linguistic differences: Titian vs. Tiziano vs. Titien; pottery vs. keramik vs. céramique y To disambiguate homographs: sinopia (pigment -- Materials hierarchy) vs. sinopia (preliminary drawing -- Visual Works hierarchy)
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 12 Why do we need vocabularies?
Thesaural relationships provide greater research/searching capabilities: drawings
Issues in vocabulary-enhanced searching
y User interfaces are problematic y Optimally, controlled vocabularies should be used both on the “back end” and on the “front end” to be most effective y Economics: consistent implementation of controlled vocabularies is time- and labor- intensive y Vocabulary control is almost non-existent on the open Web at present
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 13 Search “ARES” Against Google (returns 1,250,000 pages; none of first 6 pages are relevant)
Increase precision by ANDing the broader/parent term of ARES, “Major Gods”
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 14 “Ares AND Major Gods” now narrow to 506 hits (all first 7 pages are relevant)
Examples of standards for data values: ¾ The Getty Vocabularies ¾ Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) ¾ Libraryyg of Congress Sub ject Headin g()gs (LCSH) ¾ ICONCLASS
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 15 The Getty Vocabularies
http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/ The Getty Vocabularies Compiled and maintained by the Getty Vocabulary Program ¾Union List of Artist Names® (ULAN) ¾ 117,600 ‘records’; 257,241 names ¾Art & Architecture Thesaurus® (AAT) ¾ 33,150 ‘records’; 128,075 terms ¾Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names® (TGN) ¾911,300 ‘records,’1,102,200 names
Focus on the visual arts, architecture, & material culture Are compiled resources (not comprehensive) Grow through contributions May be licensed (vendors of collection management systems, others)
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 16 Elements of a ULAN record names Gaudí, Antoni Note: The Focus of each Gaudí y Cornet, Antonio vocabulary record is a Cornet, Antoni Gauí concept - not a “term” Gaudí i Cornet, Antoni
artist 500014514
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Spain, 1882-1926. Image © http://www.op.net/~jmeltzer/Gaudi/eltemple.html. Portrait © Encyclopedia Britannica online.
Elements of a ULAN record names Gaudí, Antoni geographic location Gaudí y Cornet, Antonio Reus (Spain) Cornet, Antoni Gauí Barcelona (Spain) Gaudí i Cornet , Antoni nationalities notes Catalan, Spanish Gaudí was influenced by Catalonia's roles medieval history and architecture. His architect, works display a respect for artist craftsmanship and structural logic. He500014514 landscape architect, was also inspired by forms in nature, furniture designer using it in structure and ornament, creating a highly personal, organic style. life dates His work is characterized by sculptural Birth Date: 1852 plasticity, the manipulation of light, and the use of mosaics and polychromy. His Death Date: 1926 later style is classifiedbibliography as Catalan related people Modernisme, a style Contemporaryrelated to Art Architects (1987) Nouveau. studied with: Enciclopedia universal ilustrada (1978-1983)Juan Martorell Montells Encyclopedia of world art (1959-1987) Grove Dictionary of Art online (1999-) LC Name Authority Headings [online] (2002-)
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 17 Equivalence Relationships in ULAN
NAMES: Le Corbusier Corbusier, Le Corbu Charles Edouard Jeanneret Jeanneret, Charles Edouard Jeanneret, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, Charles- Edouard ¾ all names refer to same person ¾ used for retrieval portrait photo © from Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Le Corbusier, photograph by Yousuf Karsh, 1954 ; © Karsh--Woodfin Camp and AssociatesConvent of La Tourette, by Le Corbusier, ¾ one is “preferred” at Eveux-sur-Arbresle, near Lyon, France, 1957 to 1960. ; Photo by Donald Corner and Jenny Young; CD.2260.1012.1841.051. © Donald Corner and Jenny Young Charles-Edouard JEANNERET) ; "La caída de Barcelona”; 1939 ; Oil on canvas ; 81 x 99,5 cm; © Museo Nacional, Sofia; image from http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es/
Former names, “incorrect” names
y Names for Sienese painter, active by 1337, died Sept. 4, 1378 y include spelling variations, former names
Names: Bulgarini, Bartolomeo Bartolomeo Bolgarini Bartolomeo Bolghini Bartolomeo Bulgarini Bartolommeo Bulgarini da Siena Maestro d'Ovile Master of the Ovile Madonna Ovile Master Lorenzetti, Ugolino Ugolino Lorenzetti
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 18 Common misspelling; married name
NAMES: O'Keeffe, Georgia Georgia O'Keeffe O'Keefe, Georgia Stieglitz, Alfred, Mrs.
published misspellings provide additional access points
Georgia O'Keefe; Ram's Skull With Brown Leaves; Roswell Museum and Art Center; Roswell, New Mexico from: http://www.roswellmuseum.org/
Various transliterations, diacritics
¾ variant transliterations provide additional access points
Iwan Schischkin (1831 - 1898) Im Russischen Wald, 1896; Öl auf Leinwand, 139 x 95 cm; image from http://www.i- s-o.com/projekte/kh_kiel/sammlung/19_Jhdt/ct.htm
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 19 Translations ¾ common translations are also important variants
NAMES: MtMato Wanartaka Kicking Bear
Battle of Little Big Horn, ca. 1898 Watercolor on muslin2 ft. 11 in. x 5 ft. 10 in. (frame included) The Southwest Museum (Los Angeles, California)
Associative Relationships in ULAN for Albrecht Dürer RELATED PERSON: son of Albrecht Dürer the elder
RELATED PERSON: student of Mich ael W ol gemut , f rom 1486 through 1490 student/teacher relationships familial relationships if parent is also an artist
Albrecht Dürer; German, 1471 - 1528; Knight, Death and Devil, 1513; engraving on laid paper, sheet: 24.8 x 19 cm dates of relationship (9 3/4 x 7 1/2 in.); © National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Gift of W.G. Russell Allen, 1941.1.20
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 20 Giambologna?
Giovanni da Bologna?
Jean de Boulogne?
• Users may call the same artist by various names • Works may have been cataloged using different names for the same artist
Common misspellings
NAMES: O’Keeffe, Georgia Georgia O’Keeffe O’Keefe, Georgia Stieglitz, Alfred, Mrs
y published misspellings provide
Georgia O'Keefe additional access Ram's Skull With Brown Leaves Roswell Museum and Art Center Roswell, New Mexico points from: http://www.roswellmuseum.org/
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 21 Anonymous artist, later named NAMES: Bulgarini, Bartolomeo Bartolomeo Bolgarini Bulgarini da Siena, Bartolommeo Lorenzetti, Ugolino Master of the Ovile Madonna Ovile Master y former appellations y name is now known The Crucifixion, mid 1300s, tempera on wood, The Hermitage (St. Petersburg, Russia) image from http://sunserv.kfki.hu/ ~arthp/html/l/lorenzet/ugolino/index.html
Database issues
repeating vs. non-repeating fields
vocabulary-controlled vs. free-text fields (for indexing vs. display)
“built-in thesauri”; vocabulary-assisted searching OR
addition of broader terms, variants, at work/image record level
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 22 If we use terms from a standard source such as LCSH or the AAT, why do we need our own “local” authorityy() file(s)?
Why do we need local authorities?
9 Local authorities can provide terms not found in publish ed auth ori ti es, i ncl udi ng non-expert and even “wrong” terms and names. 9An authority record can remind the cataloger/indexer/abstractor of policies regarding local usage of the term. 9 An authority record can contain relevant/appropriate variant names for the term and identify the one that is preferred and used by the project or institution.
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 23 Using a local (“collection- specific”) thesaurus to facilitate end-user access
A search for “Hercules” would retrieve all of these objects, because of the local thesaurus.
M. Baca: Overview of Controlled Vocabularies Workshop at Reed College, 2010-05-28 24