Proposta metodológica para enriquecimento de ontologias de domínio

Abstract

Introduction: Domain ontologies are built with determined goals through the capture of knowledge from domain experts, as well as the extraction of content from information sources that make domain knowledge explicit. However, knowledge is something that changes with discoveries, with paradigm shifts, or even with rebuttals of consolidated theories. Given the temporary nature of human knowledge, ontology developers need to ensure that these instruments go through an update process whenever necessary. Objective: This research aimed to propose a methodology for the process of domain ontologies enrichment based on constructs from ontological engineering and Library and Information Science and that would overcome the gaps of current methods for enriching domain ontologies. Motivation/Problem: The choice of this theme is based on problems related to the incipience of studies on maintenance and updating of ontologies, the temporary nature of human knowledge, and consequently the need to update ontologies, as well as the lack of a methodological guide on how to conduct the domain ontologies enrichment process. Assumptions: the following assumptions guided the development of this investigation: (1) the ontology enrichment can contribute so that ontologies represent the domain with more completeness; (2) enrichment methodologies facilitate the updating of knowledge in domain ontologies; (3) Library and Information Science has theoretical-methodological frameworks that can help to enrich domain ontologies. Referential: the theoretical and methodological foundation addressed the maintenance and updating of Knowledge Organization Systems, Concept Theory, Ontologies, Ontological Engineering and Ontology Enrichment. Methodology: The research is characterized as applied, in terms of nature, exploratory, in terms of objectives, and bibliographic in terms of methodological procedures. The steps proposed in the methodology of this investigation are five: (1) bibliographic research; (2) systematic literature review; (3) selection of documents on maintenance and updating of knowledge organization systems; (4) application of Content Analysis to selected empirical material; (5) development and validation of the enrichment methodology. Results: as a result, the METHODOE (Methodology for Domain Ontology Enrichment) is presented. The METHODOE has five phases that allow you to carry out all activities related to the enrichment process, from planning to post-enrichment. Among the features and characteristics of this methodology, the following stand out: (1) presentation of a systematic view of the enrichment process; (2) domain and specific tools independence, allowing the application in ontologies of different domains; (3) independence from specific and difficult-to-access sources of information; (4) detailed presentation of most steps and some examples; (5) possibility of carrying out all types of enrichment (lexical, conceptual, relations and axioms).