Glossary (Flat Vocabulary)

Definition of a Glossary

A type of flat controlled vocabulary containing a list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms.

Discussion

A glossary builds upon an authority file. For each value, a glossary provides users with a description. At this point, the vocabulary is a triplet - label, value, description. Notice, this already adds functionality for system users, because the abstract terminology becomes more concrete. Glossaries help to articulate exactly what particular values mean.

Example - SIO/GDC Vocabulary Terms

"DCMI_Format","Dataset","General Digital Data set"
"DCMI_Format","Image","Photographic resource, such as a jpg or tiff"
"DCMI_Format","InteractiveResource","Enhanced data set, which allows for user input"
"DCMI_Format","PhysicalObject","Physical sample, paper document, or digital media"
"DCMI_Format","Software","Software code"
"DCMI_Format","Sound","Acoustic Recording, such as an audio tape or file"
"DCMI_Format","Text","General textual resource, such as Word, ASCII, or Acrobat "

In this example, the vocabulary builds upon the DCMI authority file. In this glossary, the parameter is DCMI_Format, which correlates with the Dublin Core Type. The SIO/GDC Vocabulary Terms use a subset of the complete DCMI list, and formats them as a comma-separated-value (CSV) text file. Notice the glossary is a very useful tool because it clearly articulates what each value actually means. This helps to eliminate incorrect implementation, and facilitates understanding for users.