(XML) Topic Maps
Technical Report, was published by Robin Cover at 2008-08-15
External Link: more information
A topic map is a kind of index or information overlay which can be constructed separate from a set of resources, identifying instances of subjects and relationships within the set of resources. According to the XML Topic Maps (XTM) 1.0 TopicMaps.Org Specification, “The purpose of a topic map is to convey knowledge about resources through a superimposed layer, or map, of the resources. A topic map captures the subjects of which resources speak, and the relationships between subjects, in a way that is implementation-independent. The key concepts in topic maps are topics, associations, and occurrences. A topic is a resource within the computer that stands in for (or ‘reifies’) some real-world subject. Examples of such subjects might be the play Hamlet, the playwright William Shakespeare, or the ‘authorship’ relationship. Topics can have names. They can also have occurrences, that is, information resources that are considered to be relevant in some way to their subject. Finally, topics can participate in relationships, called associations, in which they play roles as members. Thus, topics have three kinds of characteristics: names, occurrences, and roles played as members of associations. The assignment of such characteristics is considered to be valid within a certain scope, or context. Topic maps can be merged. Merging can take place at the discretion of the user or application (at runtime), or may be indicated by the topic map’s author at the time of its creation.”
Authors
This publication cites the following publications
Information Technology -- SGML applications -- Topic Maps (Second Edition)
by Steven R. Newcomb, Michel Biezunski, ...
Topic Map Authoring With Reusable Ontologies and Automated Knowledge Mining Abstract
by Joshua Reynolds and Eliot Kimber
Draft requirements, examples, and a "low bar" proposal for Topic Map Constraint Language ...
by Steve Pepper
Introducing Topic Maps. A Powerful, Subject-Oriented Approach to Structuring Sets of ...
by Kal Ahmed
A High-level Description of a Draft Reference Model for ISO 13250 Topic Maps
by Steven R. Newcomb and Michel Biezunski
Binding Points for Subject Identity. The case for standard Published Subject Indicators
by Bernard Vatant
This publication is cited in the following publication
Nowadays Topic Maps appears to be very suitable for being applied in Libraries, Archives and Museums. It provides a suitable model and mechanisms for depth indexing, classification and the implementation of FRBR, CIDOC-CRM or other conceptualizations.
