Objectives:

• To experience the stepwise reduction of terms approach to create a controlled vocabulary.
• To begin to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the controlled vocabulary approach to classification.

Assignment:

The following is a list of terms collected for a database dealing with the administration of a medical practice. Using the stepwise reduction approach in Ch. 12 of Soergel, develop a controlled vocabulary to support access to information for the medical practice.

Remember that there is no single "optimal" product of this exercise.

Class Discussion:

Plan to spend some time during Session #20 (11/18/96) to discuss your result.

For Your Portfolio:

After the class discussion, write a brief summary of your insights and reactions to vocabulary control problem.

• What problems, frustrations, or challenges did you encounter?
• What do you see as strengths or weaknesses of vocabulary control, in general, and stepwise reduction, particular?
• What possible solutions do you see for the weaknesses in the vocabulary control approach that you found?