Controlled Vocabulary

1. Subject: Advanced Technical Operation
(course code 5647)-I” Autumn 2022
Unit 4
Controlled Vocabulary
Instructor : Abid Hussain
Email: abidmardan@gmail.com

2. What is Controlled vocabulary ?
 A controlled vocabulary refers to a predetermined and
standardized set of terms or words that are used to describe
and categorize concepts, ideas, objects, or subjects within a
specific domain or field of knowledge. Controlled
vocabularies are designed to promote consistency, accuracy,
and precision in communication and information retrieval,
especially in situations where there may be variations in
terminology or multiple ways to express the same idea..

3. Why Thesaurus Construction
 The construction of a thesaurus is a complex task
that involves several stages of planning,
development, and refinement. The aim is to create
a navigational tool that facilitates the discovery of
words that are synonyms, antonyms, or related in
some other way. Below are the steps involved in
the construction of a thesaurus:

4. Types of Thesaurus
 Thesauri come in various types, each serving
different purposes and target audiences. The
structure, content, and level of detail in each type
can vary significantly. Here are some common
types of thesauri

5. General Language Thesaurus
 Synonym Thesaurus: This is perhaps the most commonly used type. It lists words along with
their synonyms and often their antonyms. Examples include Roget's Thesaurus and the Merriam-
Webster Thesaurus.
 Conceptual Thesaurus: Organizes words not just by strict synonymy but also by related
concepts. It may include categories such as "Things related to cooking" or "Words related to time."
 Visual Thesaurus: Presents relationships between words graphically. Lines or arrows between
words indicate types of relationships like synonyms, antonyms, or broader/narrower terms.
 Historical Thesaurus: This type includes words from various periods, indicating when they were
in use. It's valuable for scholars interested in historical linguistics.
 Idiomatic Thesaurus: Focuses on idioms, phrases, or colloquial expressions that have similar
meanings.

6. Specialized Thesaurus
 Domain-Specific Thesaurus: Created for a particular field, such as a medical
or legal thesaurus. These are very precise and can include jargon or terms not
usually found in a general thesaurus.
 Multilingual Thesaurus: Includes words from multiple languages, often
showing synonyms or equivalent terms across languages.
 Regional Thesaurus: Focuses on dialects or languages specific to a particular
geographic area.
 Children's Thesaurus: Tailored for younger audiences, it often includes
simpler words and may have illustrations.
 Academic Thesaurus: Targeted at scholarly writing, this type may include
more complex words and technical terms.

7. Digital Thesaurus
 Online Thesaurus: Web-based, often integrated into word
processors or available as standalone websites or apps.
 Dynamic Thesaurus: Updates in real-time based on new
word usage patterns, often using machine learning or
crowd sourcing.
 Interactive Thesaurus: Allows for user engagement,
letting users add their own synonyms, vote on word
relationships, etc.

8. Controlled Vocabulary Thesaurus
 Information Retrieval Thesaurus: Used in libraries or
databases, it provides a standardized set of terms to facilitate
accurate information retrieval.
 Taxonomic Thesaurus: Used in scientific domains to classify
organisms or other entities into hierarchical categories.
 Ontological Thesaurus: A more advanced form used in
semantic web and artificial intelligence applications, encoding
not just word relationships but also the rules and conditions
under which such relationships hold.

9. Planning and Scope Definition
 Identify the Audience: Know who your target users are. Different
audiences, such as linguists, general public, or industry-specific
users, have different needs.
 Decide Scope and Domain: Determine if the thesaurus will be
general-purpose or domain-specific. A medical thesaurus, for
example, will have different requirements than a general English
language thesaurus.
 Resource Allocation: Decide on the human and technological
resources you will need.

10. Conceptualization of Thesaurus
 Define Hierarchies: Words can be grouped hierarchically based on
their meanings. "Animal" could be a higher-level term, with
"Mammal," "Bird," etc., as second-level terms.
 Word Collection: Gather an exhaustive list of words that fall within
the defined scope. This could involve scraping text databases,
expert consultation, and so on.
 Preliminary Sorting: Sort words into tentative categories based on
meaning, part of speech, usage, etc.

11. Development of Thesaurus
 Synonyms and Antonyms: For each entry, identify its synonyms and antonyms.
Sometimes the relations can be nuanced, and context-specific examples may be
necessary.
 Semantic Relationships: Identify other kinds of relationships like hypernymy (is-a),
hyponymy (kind-of), meronymy (part-of), etc.
 Cross-References: Include cross-references to guide users to related terms that they
might be interested in.
 Definition and Usage: Provide brief definitions and example sentences to illustrate the
usage of each term.
 Attributes: Add metadata like part of speech, etymology, phonetic representation, etc.

12. Validation and Testing
 Expert Review: Have the draft reviewed by
experts in linguistics or the domain for which the
thesaurus is being developed.
 User Testing: Collect feedback from target users
to gauge usability and comprehensiveness.
 Iterative Refinement: Based on feedback, refine
the thesaurus.

13. Implementation of thesaurus
 Digital or Print: Decide on the format. Digital thesauri may
have advanced features like search functionality, dynamic
updating, etc.
 Data Structure: If digital, determine the underlying data
structure—trees, graphs, relational databases, etc.—that will
enable efficient storage and retrieval.
 UI/UX: Design the user interface. For digital versions, ensure
the design is intuitive.
 Accessibility: Make sure the thesaurus is accessible to people
with disabilities.

14. Maintenance and Update
 Version Control: Maintain versions if the
thesaurus will be updated periodically.
 User Feedback Loop: Establish a mechanism for
collecting user feedback for ongoing refinement.
 Quality Control: Regular audits to remove errors,
update entries, and add new terms.
 Monitoring and Analytics: For digital versions,
monitor usage to identify potential areas for
improvement.

15. Legal and Ethical Considerations
 Copyright: Ensure that the content is original or appropriately
licensed.
 Inclusion and Bias: Be mindful to avoid perpetuating
stereotypes or excluding any groups.
 The development of a thesaurus is not just a technical
exercise but also an intellectual one, requiring an
understanding of language, culture, and the specific needs of
the intended audience.

16. Any Question, Please