Taxonomies and Controlled Vocabularies
Self-Paced Online Course
Five self-paced lessons, available at any time (no live component)
Individual Student Registration Form
Course Description
Taxonomies are structured sets of terms used for tagging or categorizing content. They are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from document indexing, digital asset management, enterprise content management, commercial product categorization, online news service interfaces, and web site information architecture.
This course provides both a basic introduction to taxonomies, discusses best practices for creating terms and relationships, and provides some practice to start working on taxonomies and thesauri. This course also includes exclusive student trial access to a taxonomy management system.
This course was originally developed for the Continuing Education Program of Simmons University School of Library and Information Science. In 2017 Simmons University discontinued its entire Continuing Education Program, so now the course is offered directly through Hedden Information Management.
Course Outline
Lesson 1: Introduction to taxonomies
Types of taxonomies and controlled vocabularies, their definitions, and uses. Links to examples on the Web will be included for various types.
- Definitions and types of controlled vocabularies, including taxonomies, thesauri, etc.
- Purposes, uses, and examples of controlled vocabularies
- Taxonomy structures: hierarchies and facets
Lesson 2: Concepts and their labels
Deciding how to name preferred terms and non-preferred terms in the controlled vocabulary
- Concepts, labels, and terms: inclusion, naming, style and format
- Variant names for concepts: synonyms, nonpreferred terms, alternative labels, etc.
- Other issues in creating concepts: pre-coordination vs. post-coordination, scope notes, attributes of concepts, and categories
Lesson 3: Hierarchical structure and term relationships
Best practices for structuring a taxonomy or thesaurus according to recognized standards
- Hierarchical relationships: broader/narrower
- Associative relationships: related terms or concepts
- Semantic variations of relationships
- Creating hierarchies: depth and breadth, arrangement of the hierarchy, recursive retrieval, and grouping categories
Lesson 4: Software for creating taxonomies
An overview of the various software tools to help create develop and edit taxonomies and thesauri. Students are encouraged to try out a free trial of at least one of these software tools, for which Hedden Information Management provides access. If students already have a taxonomy management tool, instructor feedback can be provided on some term entry examples.
- Overview of taxonomy/thesaurus management software
- Traditional thesaurus management software
- SKOS-based taxonomy management software (with trial access)
- Free and open-source software
Lesson 5: Concluding topics and issues
- Processes for taxonomy development and implementation
- Taxonomy maintenance and governance
- Tagging with a taxonomy
Course Basics
Duration: This course has been designed to take a month, but it can be completed in slightly more or less time, as desired. Regardless of how long it takes to complete the course, access to the course and instructor feedback is for two months.
Lessons: Lesson texts are comprised of a set of three to six web pages, one for each chapter of the lesson. Each lesson has links, and some have associated graphics of screenshots. It is not necessary to go through an entire lesson at one sitting, but each chapter page is designed to be read at one sitting. The lessons and chapters vary in length, depending on the topic. The intended pace is one lesson per week, but you may proceed faster or slower.
Exercises/Assignments: The first three lessons have assignments. Answers to the assignments are provided separately, so you can work on the assignments before seeing the answers.
Software: Special software does not need to be purchased to complete the workshop, but students should try a free demo version of one or more of the software tools discussed in Lesson 4. Hedden Information Management provides exclusive student trial access for the duration of the course for web-based application PoolParty and Graphite. Additionally, MultiTes may be used for a free 30-day trial on one’s own. Trial software from other vendors chosen by the student may also be used.
Readings: The required reading is: ANSI/NISO Z39.19 Guidelines for Construction, Format, and Management of Monolingual Controlled Vocabularies, which is provided as a freely downloadable pdf.
Also, highly recommended is the book: Hedden, Heather (2022) The Accidental Taxonomist, 3rd edition.
Links to additional articles on the Web are provided within each lesson.
Hours Expected: The number of hours put in depends on the extent that you work on a taxonomy project of your own and how much optional reading you want to do. Past students have put in from 2 to 8 hours per lesson, with 5 hours per lesson being the average.
Costs and Registration
Currently the course is being offered in a discounted format without individualized feedback for $125 for 2-month access. (The course with feedback, at $325, is currently suspended but may be offered again at a future date.)
Please complete the online registration form, which will automatically notify Heather Hedden of your registration and direct you to payment options.
Full pre-payment is required. Payment is accepted by:
- Venmo account
- Credit card (via PayPal but no PayPal account is required)(plus a transaction fee)
- PayPal account direct (plus a transaction fee)
- Zelle electronic funds bank transfer
- Electronic funds (bank wire) transfer (subject to a transaction fee, depending on the account)
- Mailed check in US dollars
f you do not receive a confirmation email from Heather Hedden within 24 hours, please e-mail to follow up on your registration.
Course screenshot
Course Advantages
Always available to start any time
The continuing education workshop previously taught through Simmons University was offered only a certain number of times per year and students had to register 2-3 months in advance before the session filled up. Sometimes people need to learn taxonomy development skills on shorter notice or at a time when a college course is not being offered. This independent self-paced online course is always available, and participants can start as soon as they register and pay, even as soon as the next day.
Less of a commitment than a college continuing education course
The continuing education workshop previously offered through Simmons University was set at 5 weeks. Inevitably, every session there were students who could not finish the course in that time due to various unforeseen circumstances. This independent self-paced version of the online workshop has the same amount of content but remains available online to students with instructor access for questions for two months (9 weeks) by default, and requests for extensions are always granted.
Comments from Past Students
I just want to let you know what an excellent resource you have put together. It is by far the most comprehensive, I have come across. I just finished the first lesson! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I wanted to thank you for teaching one of the most informative online classes I have ever participated in. I’ve come away with exactly what I wanted – an overview of what a taxonomy is and how it is constructed, as well as some of the things to look for (intermediate steps J ) to make sure it’s well constructed, and the ability to build a simple one of my own in a pinch. The other thing I’ve taken away is an admiration for taxonomists; it is exacting work!
Most classes I’ve taken have been either very elementary or extremely tech-y. This one was perfect for my level of expertise and gives me a good foundation to gain some professional experience with working with, creating, and maintaining taxonomies.
I enjoyed this course and the detail, clarity, and dedication with which it was created.
The course was thorough, and it seems like no stone has been left unturned. I really appreciated the updates to the lessons, and the inclusions of comparison tables. More of this please! Furthermore, it was really good to have access to various software’s and putting the theory into practice. I think that once I have worked on thesauri for a while, this course will provide invaluable in its theory, but I believe that it will require me to be able to visualize the theory in a practical way before properly understanding it. This is of course down to my own personal learning style and not a reflection on the course. Also, the course author was readily available to help, which was very much appreciated.
I just wanted to say Thanks to Heather for the abundance of information she was able to share in such a short time frame, all re: Taxonomy.
I agree with you about the benefits of this course, and Heather’s invaluable assistance. There is a lot to learn! I’d started the Accidental Taxonomist book before registering for this course. Now I’m going back and start from page one again. The two complement each other perfectly.
Found this workshop to be valuable; smoothly-run website, and course material and format very clear. Thank you!
Enjoyed the course, well-run, good review.
Just wanted to say thanks so much for a great workshop. I really got a lot out of it and enjoyed the rigorous pace and the depth of information you provided. I’m starting a taxonomy project in my workplace now, to implement in a new, currently under development, intranet. I’m referring to your weekly lessons quite a bit (!)
The taxonomy course has been such a help to me.
I’ve really enjoyed taking this workshop. I was a little intimidated because I don’t have a library science background, but Heather is a great teacher and I learned a lot. Thanks!
Very pleased overall–I’m always surprised how effective and instructive online courses are. Well done.
It was in-depth and challenging. I liked how seriously the subject matter was taken and how much one was expected to learn during the workshop.
Very clear, well managed. Instructor responded very quickly and was quite helpful.
I appreciated the great organization of materials, and the scope of references and additional sources of information–as well as demo software. Instructor was responsive.
I really enjoyed the class and look forward to learning more about taxonomy through your book.
For further questions, E-mail Heather Hedden.