inis training seminar subject analysis: indexing with the inis thesaurus

International Atomic Energy Agency

INIS Training SeminarINIS Training Seminar

Subject Analysis:Subject Analysis:

Indexing with the INIS Thesaurus Indexing with the INIS Thesaurus

07 – 11 October 2013

Vienna, Austria

Bekele NegeriINIS Unit

Nuclear Information Specialist

International Atomic Energy AgencyOctober 2013 INIS Training Seminar 2

Subject AnalysisSubject Analysis

• Steps of Subject Analysis• subject classification• abstracting• subject indexing

• Subject indexing means analysing the information content of a piece of literature and expressing the meaningfull information content in the language of the database using the controlled vocabulary of the Thesaurus


Subject IndexingSubject Indexing

• Subject Analysis should be carried out whenever possible by subject specialists with a good knowledge of the subject matter and a familiarity with the subject analysis tools of the respective database (subject categories, thesaurus, subject analysis rules)

• Understanding of the subject content subject specialist

• Familiarity with Thesaurus and indexing rules

• Select a set of descriptors that describes the subject content of the piece of literature


ThesaurusThesaurusThe basic tools for subject indexing are the The basic tools for subject indexing are the controlled vocabulary maintained in the controlled vocabulary maintained in the Thesaurus and the rules for its applicationThesaurus and the rules for its application

„A thesaurus is a terminological control device used in translating from the natural language of documents, indexers or users into a more constrained system language. It is a controlled and dynamic vocabulary of semantically and generically related terms which covers a specific domain of knowledge“

This definition has been adopted by UNESCO„Guidelines for the establishment and development of monolingual thesauri“, UNESCO, SC/W/255, Paris, September 1973

• INIS/ETDE Thesaurus: contains the controlled terminology for indexing all information within the subject scopes of the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) and the Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE). The terminology is intended for use in subject descriptions for input or retrieval of information in these systems.


Where do we find the INIS Thesaurus?Where do we find the INIS Thesaurus?

• English version integrated with FIBRE and CAI for indexing

• Multilingual Thesaurus (Arabic, Chinese, English , French,

German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish) • Integrated with INIS Collection Search

http://inis.iaea.org/search/

• Multilingual Thesaurus (browsable) as a general reference tool http://nkp.iaea.org/INISMLThesaurus/

• English version integrated with the IRPS Production (INIS Records Processing System)

October 2013 INIS Training Seminar 5


The INIS/ETDE ThesaurusThe INIS/ETDE Thesaurus

• The descriptor is placed in its correct semantic context by its wordblock - forbidden, broader, narrower and related terms

• For a few descriptors where there could still exist a possibility of ambiguity - scope note

• Descriptors 30 726 descriptors with scope notes• 22 051 valid terms and • 8 675 forbidden terms• Hidden terms



The Thesaurus and its StructureThe Thesaurus and its Structure

Relationship Sy Cross reference

hierarchical BT broader term (level 1, 2,...)hierarchical NT narrower term (level 1, 2,...)

affinitive RT related term

preferential UF used for (reciprocally USE ...)

preferential UF+ used for multiple(reciprocally USE ... AND ...)

preferential SF seen for(reciprocally SEE ... OR ...)


ExamplesExamples

•BT /NT / RT RelationshipsCOMBINED THERAPYINIS: 1993-08-04; ETDE: 1986-01-16The use of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy to achieve a synergistic effect.*BT1 therapyRT antineoplastic drugsRT chemotherapyRT neoplasmsRT radiotherapyRT side effects

•UF/USE Relationships



ExamplesExamples

•UF+ / USE ..AND

•SF/ SEE ..OR



ExamplesExamplesTRANSPORT

Limited to the movement of goods and persons. For other types of transport, see descriptors such as ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORTTRANSPORT, RADIATION TRANSPORTRADIATION TRANSPORT, , RADIONUCLIDE RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATIONMIGRATION, and , and RADIONUCLIDE KINETICSRADIONUCLIDE KINETICS

UF shipmentUF space transportSF public transportSF travel NT1 air transportNT1 hydraulic transport NT1 land transportNT1 maritime transportNT1 pneumatic transportRT arctic gas pipelines



ExamplesExamples

PRODUCTIONLimited to industrial production; see also PARTICLE PRODUCTIONPARTICLE PRODUCTIONUF outputRT availabilityRT capacityRT computer-aided manufacturingRT fabricationRT gross domestic productRT gross national productRT isotope productionRT manufacturingRT planningRT productivity



INDEXING RULES…INDEXING RULES…

• Specificity RuleRule: Always use the most specific appropriate descriptor.

Check the worldblock to find the most specific descriptorExample:

KINETICS

NT1 radionuclide kinetics

NT1 reaction kinetics

NT2 biochemical reaction kineticsNT3 cpb (competitive protein binding)

NT2 chemical reaction kinetics

NT3 combustion kinetics

NT2 nuclear reaction kinetics

NT1 reactor kinetics

RT collisions…




Rule: Do not assign a descriptor and one of its broader terms to the same item.

Example:SLOWPOKE TYPE REACTORSINIS: 1979-12-20; ETDE: 1980-01-24

UF safe low power critical experiment

*BT1 enriched uranium reactors

*BT1 isotope production reactors

*BT1 pool type reactors

*BT1 research reactors

NT1 slowpoke-ottawa reactor

NT1 slowpoke-toronto reactor

NT1 slowpoke-alberta reactor

NT1 slowpoke-dalhousie reactor

NT1 slowpoke-montreal reactor

NT1 slowpoke-wnre reactor



Data FlaggingData Flagging

DATA

(For data flagging always use a more

specific term.)

BT1 information

NT1 numerical data

NT2 compiled data

NT2 evaluated data

NT2 experimental data

NT2 financial data

NT2 statistical data

NT2 theoretical data




• Find implicit information

"The resonance capture was not examined.“

If it is not examined – do not index

"no resonance capture was observed"

In case it was examined, but not found – do indexing

"The reaction is enhanced by the presence of platinum" - CATALYSIS

"The long-half-life carbon isotope" - CARBON 14

"A computer code was developed" – PROGRAMMING

Find implicit information



Proposed Terms (Technical Note 175)Proposed Terms (Technical Note 175)

If no suitable descriptor exists in the Thesaurus for the retrieval of a usefull concept, make a proposal for a new one, containing the following:

• Proposed term

• Proposed word block of the term (in particular proposed BTs)

• Potential forbidden terms pointing to this proposed descriptor

• Scope note when appropriate

• Explanation and justification for the proposal

• One or more sample records


Cautions required when Proposing termsCautions required when Proposing termsExamples of mistaken proposals Examples of mistaken proposals

• Abbreviations• TLD dosimeters -> THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSEMETERS

• Existing forbidden terms proposed• Energy deposition -> use ENERGY ABSORPTION

• Concept could be represented by existing term• Tissue engineering -> GENETIC ENGINEERING

• English language related: Spelling/ plural singular• Developing country -. DEVELOPING COUTRIES

• Fungus -> FUNGI



INDEXING PROCEDURES SummaryINDEXING PROCEDURES Summary

• Carefully read the title and abstract and scan the full text

• Identify the concept(s) about which the document contains useful information

• "Translate" the concepts into descriptors.

• Check each descriptor to make sure that:

- the descriptors represent as precisely as possible the major concept(s);

- the definition matches the use;

- the selected descriptor is the most specific appropriate choice

• If part of a document is out of INIS scope, index the latter portion generally

• Avoid over indexing.



Abstracting and Title AugumentationAbstracting and Title Augumentation

•Guidelines for Abstract Preparation• Submit an informative abstract whenever possible

• Emphasize what is novel about the information in the original document

• Do not repeat the title of the original document in the body of the abstract

• Do not exceed 6000 characters (900-1200 words) in length, including spaces and symbols

•Title augmentation should indicate in a concise and abbreviated form the essential topic discussed in the piece of literature to which no reference is made in the title


•The purpose of subject indexing is to enable useful retrieval

•Choose such information items for indexing as you would yourself expect to find in the piece of literature if you were the user searching for that information.


inis training seminar subject analysis: indexing with the inis thesaurus

Documents