The RRFC Network Thesaurus - Purpose, Development & Maintenance The website known as the RRFC Portal is not only a website representing all six regional and the federal resource centers, but a doorway to several databases. The MATRIX, for example, is a repository of information about the technical assistance activities of the projects in the OSEP funded TA&D system, and the ESEA funded Comprehensive Centers system. We also share a privately accessed database warehousing the results of multiple research requests completed by the RRCs. These databases serve a wide variety of users, both for those adding content to the database and those accessing that information.
RRFC Portal Audiences
- State and Local Education and Early Intervention Departments
- U.S. Department of Education/OSERS/OSEP/OESE
- TA&D Projects * Other OSEP funded projects
- Other stakeholders such as Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and parent networks
- Other USDE-funded technical assistance centers
These groups all use a similar vocabulary but there are also some important differences. The thesaurus is intended to add benefit to this cross-project, cross-state and cross-region coordination and collaboration for these audiences by clarifying the language we use to describe our work.
Controlled vocabulary
Controlled vocabulary enables efficient description of and access to documents and other related forms of information. Correct retrieval of records in a database depends on the use of specific terms to search records, the larger a thesaurus becomes, the more likely the correct (matching) terms will not be selected when the search is constructed so this thesaurus is as large as it needs to be but not unwieldy. A tightly organized thesaurus helps maintain consistency and prevents confusion caused by the scattering of concepts over too many terms.
Types of Terms and how they appear in the thesaurus
Preferred Term – main entry term which may be expanded with a Scope Note (SN)
Related Term (RT) – Suggests other search terms which might yield related information or materials, but do not use the same words (Correctional education, RT Detention centers)
Broader Term (BT) – A more general term
Narrower Term (NT) – A more specific term
Use For (UF) – Suggests terms that are synonymous, or nearly so, but are not preferred terms
Thesaurus Maintenance Process
- New terms or revisions are proposed. This can include scope notes, cross-references and other pertinent information Terms for the thesaurus can come from two places.
The thesaurus editor solicits revisions or new terms.
Users of the thesaurus identify a need for new term(s).
- About twice a year, or more frequently if needed. In the beginning it would most likely be more frequently.
- A thesaurus task group is formed. The group is composed of the editor and one to three other interested individuals.
- The task group compiles a list of terms, researches appropriate usage and references. They also confirm these terms with other TA&D projects.
- The center staffs are made aware of the new/revised terms.
Requirements for terms used in the Thesaurus (Based on formal thesaurus development rules.)
The term should be . . .
A noun (since our terms often come from the law this may not always be possible)
Plural for things that can be counted (Teachers)
Singular for “collective" and "mass" nouns (People, Audience, Community) Not inverted - “Complaint investigation” not “Investigation, complaint”
Exclude prepositions - “Instructional strategies” not “Strategies for teaching”
Exclude punctuation marks such as hyphens. Revisions and updates are made only after an analysis of relevant literature and legislation as appropriate).
The terms should (have an expected "lifetime" (use in the educational law and literature) of several years. Trendy terms or jargon are not helpful when they are outdated.
The terms should be specific enough to not be confused with other similar ones, and should not have multiple meanings.
The terms should be useful to all the centers in the network, not to one center only.
Descriptors within the Thesaurus Descriptors are assigned to provide SUBJECT access to the materials in the database, in the information requests and MATRIX database, and for organizing data for reports. For this reason (per standard thesaurus guidelines) the terms are usually NOUNS (not adjectives which describe the various aspects of a noun). Single or multiple descriptors are assigned (in the descriptor field) to a document or information request. Descriptor terms cover the MAIN FOCUS of the content. These can include scope notes, cross-references and other pertinent information
This document was developed from the RRFC Thesaurus Development Guidelines created by the RRFC Network Information Specialists.
Please click here to view the thesaurus.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 10 January 2007 )
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