Presentation to the UMKC Libraries PSP Forum, June 11, 2013Title from PDF, viewed on March 12, 201

Curtis, Scott

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University of Missouri: MOspace

Using Thesauri to Understand Faculty ResearchScott Curtis, RLS LibrarianUMKC Libraries PSP ForumJune 11, 2013Bee visionFrom The Why? Files blogHumans perceive a wider range of visible color spectrum than bees. However, we see a yellow flower. Bees, see some UV and a limited portion of the human-visible spectrum, so they see a yellow bullseye with a dark center that enables them to get right to the rich pollen (the center image).Database searching - keyword versus controlled vocabulary / thesaurusDatabases often make keywords searchable in either full text of documents, or as "tags" or metadata (e.g. "subject headings," "Engineering terms," etc.) in separate search fields.Because different people use different keywords for the same topic/subject, controlled vocabularies were developed for specialized subjects for use in these separate fields.A thesaurus in this context is a controlled vocabulary developed with an effort is made to define the relationships between terms.Why use a thesaurus?● Authority● Proven utility over time● Regularly updated for new trends● Ease of use / efficiency of searchingTwo major examples of thesauri for database searching are MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) in PubMed and the Ei Thesaurus in Compendex.(cf. Cleveland and Cleveland, Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting, Chapter 4, for a more thorough introduction to controlled vocabulary and thesauri)Preliminary/Exploratory Methodology1. Select a database with a controlled vocabulary. (Compendex)2. Search for documents by affiliation (UMKC)3. Limit to tenure-track faculty from School of Computing and Engineering (SCE)4. Limit to time period 2010-20135. Find controlled vocabulary terms used to identify the documents.6. Using the structure of the Ei Thesaurus, create a hierarchical structure of controlled vocabulary terms specific to UMKC SCE researchThis is SCOPUS - Note the indexing sectionThe same document in COMPENDEX. Note the linking to the controlled terms and the classification codes.COMPENDEX enables the searcher to view the Ei Thesaurus, determining broader/narrower terms.Exploratory resultsEi Controlled Terms and Ei Main Headings were harvested into an Excel spreadsheet.After de-duplicating, 162 unique Ei Controlled Terms and 37 Ei Main Headings identified.The Challenge - VisualizationEquipment                                                                                                                  Biomedical equipment                                                                                                                      Prosthetics                                                                                                                 Artificial limbs                                                            Combustion equipment                                                                                                                        Furnaces                                                                                                                      Metallurgical furnaces                                                                                                           Blast furnaces                                         Electronic equipment                                                                                                             Audio equipment                                                                                                                    Audio systems                                                                      Computers                                                                                                                 Computer hardware                                                                                                               Data storage equipment                                                                                                                       Digital storage                                                                                                           Virtual storage                                             Computer systems                                                                                                                  Distributed computer systems                                                                                                           Multiprocessing systems                                                                                                                      Parallel processing systems                                                                                                                 Parallel architectures                                                            Real time systems                                                                                   This is an indented hierarchy visualization using WordVisualization - another exampleVisualizing Using ExcelWhy?Goal is to have a way to visualize the research output/activity of the faculty. This has several benefits:● Enabling liaison to better tailor services.● Educating liaison to utilize more precise search strategies.● Facilitating liaison and library in identifying potential collaborations across departments by mapping of terms between research programs (may be automated by Faculty Accomplishment System / VIVO)● Create a document useful to non-specialist librarians and as a learning tool for new specialist librarians.Reason for Healthy SkepticismMetacrap (links to the 2001 essay / screed / manifesto by Cory Doctorow; worth reading for any info. pro.)Specifically, these points apply2.2 People are lazy2.3 People are stupid2.5 Schemas (thesauri) aren't natural2.7 There's more than one way to describe somethingLeading to....GIGO (garbage in / garbage out)Collaboration with ColleaguesQuestions/Comments?Scott CurtisResearch and Liaison Librariancurtissa@umkc.edu X1508

Using thesauri to understand faculty research

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Using thesauri to understand faculty research

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