A importância do vocabulário controlado na representação de assuntos da produção científica nos sistemas automatizados: uma abordagem geral

Abstract

Controlled vocabulary is present in subject indexing and planning a search strategy in database from bibliographic information and digital libraries. Indexing language is a controlled vocabulary and a tool in the indexing process built from a set of rules which serve to briefly represent the contents of a document so that it organizes and makes it easier to access and transfer information in the scientific community. In the documentary process, representing contents is related to institutionally fixed purposes and conceptions which pursue particular goals. A language pressuposes the notion of arrangement and therefore organization. Control is a factor which makes natural language different from indexing language. Indexing language may be pre-coordenated, post-coordenated, symbolic (classification, CDU and CDD) and verbal (lists of subject headlines and thesaurus), in order to represent the contents of documents from databases. Index language plays a role in the system, guiding the indexer to choose the best term to represent the subject and guiding the researcher to search relevant documents. Controlled vocabulary is a facilitating tool of communication in particular documentary contexts and therefore spreading the scientific production in automated systems. Recovering information is made easy by the use of indexing languages and depends on an appropriate and effective search strategy in order to be successful. It is up to the professional to enable a better interface between the user and information systems.