RE: [dita] Keywords in DITA

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

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