A semantic web methodological framework to evaluate the support of integrity in thesaurus tools

Abstract

With the Semantic Web, thesauri recover a relevant role supporting semantic searches and other added-value services. Thesaurus standards define what constructs a thesaurus can have and the integrity rules it must comply with. Thesaurus editors can be helped in their work if thesaurus tools offer them support for integrity, warning when integrity rules are violated and/or helping them to correct these mistakes. The most recent thesaurus standard is ISO 25964, which supersedes ISO 2788, evolving towards concept-based thesauri, better aligned with the Semantic Web approach than the term-based thesauri of ISO 2788. However, the W3C recommendation for KOS (Knowledge Organization System) representation in the semantic web context is SKOS, which is in fact prior to ISO 25964. This paper focuses on thesaurus integrity and the evolution from ISO 2788 to ISO 25964. Its effect on integrity issues is analyzed. A methodological proposal for evaluating integrity support in thesaurus tools, arising from the results of this work, is presented. Its target audience is professionals in charge of thesaurus edition. Besides being adapted to the most recent thesaurus standard, ISO 25964, it also includes the comparison of ISO standards with SKOS. The paper is completed with the presentation of the results of applying it to three thesaurus tools.