MODELS 11: UKOLN/mda Terminology WorkshopControlled Terminologies and Thesauri have formed the basis of effective information retrieval systems for many years, with tools such as the Library of Congress' Subject Headings and the Dewey Decimal classification system well known in the library sector and beyond. Such tools facilitate accurate retrieval of results, as well as allowing the user to browse through resources by subject term and to interact with diverse resources by means of a common vocabulary.
As resources are increasingly moved online for access by non-expert users without easy access to comprehensive terminological taxa, there is a danger that the effort invested in categorising existing resources will be wasted, and that new resources will either not be classified at all, or that they will be categorised according to localised and proprietary schemes without adequate awareness of available tools.
This invitational workshop is intended to bring together those with many years of experience in the construction of thesauri and other terminology controls and representatives of the new generation of large-scale online services, many of which are already demonstrating a clear requirement for terminological control. The workshop will raise awareness of existing resources, highlight many of the relevant issues, and move towards construction of a single high-level term list of value to services within Higher Education and beyond.
This workshop arose from recommendations made at the ninth workshop in the MODELS series, organized by UKOLN.