RE: [dita] Keywords in DITA

["JoAnn Hackos" <joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com>]

I agree with Don's analysis of index terms. My thought it that one should be equally carefully, albeit in one dimension, with keywords. Too often authors randomly select keywords to associate with topics. We recommend a controlled vocabulary.

 

JoAnn

JoAnn T. Hackos, PhD
President
Comtech Services, Inc.
710 Kipling Street, Suite 400
Denver, CO 80215
303-232-7586
joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com
http://www.comtech-serv.com

 

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From: Don Day [mailto:dond@us.ibm.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 4:51 PM
To: JoAnn Hackos
Cc: dita@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: RE: [dita] Keywords in DITA

I also find that indexterms represent structured metadata, which non-nesting keywords cannot do. In this regard, index structures represent access paths to information that are carefully crafted to represent how readers think of the data... you want to increase the ability of the user to find a term, therefore your primary and secondary choices might well be colloquial, which balances imprecision against discoverability. Keywords do not have this luxury, being tokens with specific intent in the domain of the topic or information system that they document.

Regards,
--
Don Day <dond@us.ibm.com>
Chair, OASIS DITA Technical Committee
IBM Lead DITA Architect
11501 Burnet Rd., MS 9037D018, Austin TX 78758
Ph. 512-838-8550 (T/L 678-8550)

"Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"
--T.S. Eliot
"JoAnn Hackos" <joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com>

"JoAnn Hackos" <joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com>

03/08/2005 05:40 PM

To	"Paul Prescod" <paul.prescod@blastradius.com>, "Esrig, Bruce \(Bruce\)" <esrig@lucent.com>
cc	<dita@lists.oasis-open.org>, "Michael Priestley" <mpriestl@ca.ibm.com>
Subject	RE: [dita] Keywords in DITA

I would assume that index terms would be used to build what is commonly referred to as a "back of the book" index for print or supply the terms for the Index tab typical of help systems. Keywords typically are based upon a taxonomic analysis of subject matter and should be selected from a standardized list to avoid confusion. Keywords chiefly feed search systems, although many search systems are configured to look at full text or metadata rather than keywords. Organizations often use the "keyword" element in HTML to attempt to influence search systems.

JoAnn

JoAnn T. Hackos, PhD
President
Comtech Services, Inc.
710 Kipling Street, Suite 400
Denver, CO 80215
303-232-7586
joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com
http://www.comtech-serv.com

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From: Paul Prescod [mailto:paul.prescod@blastradius.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, 
March 08, 2005 4:07 PM
To: Esrig, Bruce (Bruce)
Cc: dita@lists.oasis-open.org; 
Michael Priestley
Subject: RE: [dita] Keywords in DITA

Contradicting myself a bit: I would consider that a 
very pragmatic solution to the problem. The meaning of the <keyword> 
element could be context-specific. But I wonder: do index entries already work 
as "words or phrases that would make good targets for search engines?" I'm just 
trying to get the distinction clear in my head.

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From: Esrig, Bruce (Bruce) [mailto:esrig@lucent.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 1:14 
PM
To: Paul 
Prescod
Cc: 
dita@lists.oasis-open.org; Michael Priestley
Subject: RE: [dita] Keywords in 
DITA

For the 
time being, perhaps we could rephrase the first sentence in the "keywords" entry 
in the language reference. Then we could separate the senses in a future release 
of DITA. Something like <keyword> versus 
<searchTerm>.

New text >>> The <keywords> element contains a list 
of identifying terms that are marked with <indexterm> or <keyword>. 
In this context, <keyword> surrounds a word or phrase that would make a 
good target for a search engine.

Bruce Esrig
Information Developer / Information Architect
Lucent Technologies