Per-Term Documentation for SKOS Core RDF Vocabulary

Currently the terms of SKOS Core have an rdfs:comment, which tries to be a definition too. I suggest we create a definition (skos:definition) for each term, also a comment (rdfs:comment) to express additional information where required, and an example (skos:example).

I'm also thinking about a specific place to express contraints on terms usage, that cannot be expressed using owl or rdfs.

I also suggest moving definitions and comments to an additional file, e.g. here.

This will mean moving some things around, so I built this wiki page to store the current state of definitions and comments, and to help work towards a more coherent set of defs and coms.

skos:Concept

Label: Concept

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

An abstract idea or notion.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

A concept is any unit of thought that can be defined or described.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

The meaning (intension) of a skos:Concept should be inferred by taking into account all of the following (where present): the preferred label, all alternative labels, the definition, scope notes, examples, any other annotations, depictions, and the concept's position in the network of semantic relations with other concepts from the same source.

Example:

(AJM, possibility adapted from GCL 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Parks and gardens</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Country parks</skos:altLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Gardens</skos:altLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Allotments</skos:altLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Royal parks</skos:altLabel>
  <foaf:depiction rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/depictions/c010.jpg"/>
  <skos:broader rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c001"/>
  <skos:related rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c025"/>
  <skos:related rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c305"/>
  <skos:related rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c120"/>
  <skos:inScheme rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme"/>
</skos:Concept>

skos:ConceptScheme

Label: Concept Scheme

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A set of concepts forming a coherent scheme.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

A concept scheme is a collection of concepts.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A concept scheme may be defined to include concepts from different sources.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

<skos:ConceptScheme rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme">
  <dc:title xml:lang="en">The Example Thesaurus</dc:title>
  <dc:description xml:lang="en">An example thesaurus for the SKOS Core spec.</dc:description>
  <dc:creator>Alistair Miles</dc:creator>
  <dc:contributor>Members of public-esw-thes@w3.org mailing list.</dc:contributor>
  <dc:rights>No copyright.</dc:rights>
  <dct:created>2004-08-01</dct:created>
  <dct:issued>2004-08-05</dct:issued>
  <dct:modified>2004-08-11</dct:modified>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c001"/>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c002"/>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c003"/>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c004"/>
</skos:ConceptScheme>

skos:hasTopConcept

Label: has top concept

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-24)

Indicates a top level concept in a concept scheme.

Comment:

(2004-08-24)

Use this property to indicate that a concept is a top concept in a specific concept scheme.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No comment.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

<skos:ConceptScheme rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme">
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c001"/>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c002"/>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c003"/>
  <skos:hasTopConcept rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c004"/>
</skos:ConceptScheme>

skos:inScheme

Label: in scheme

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

Indicates that a concept is a member of the specified concept scheme.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

Use this property to state that a concept is a part of some concept scheme. A concept may be a part of more than one scheme.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A concept may be a member of more than one concept scheme.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:inScheme rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme"/>
</skos:Concept>

skos:prefLabel

Label: preferred label

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

The preferred lexical label for a resource in a given language.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

Use this property to indicate a preferred label for a resource. If the resource is a concept in some conceptual scheme, then it is strongly recommended that the preferred label be a unique label within that scheme.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No two concepts in the same concept scheme may have the same value for skos:prefLabel in a given language.

Example:

(AJM suggestion, adapted from GCL 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Parks and gardens</skos:prefLabel>
</skos:Concept>

skos:altLabel

Label: alternative label

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

An alternative lexical label for a resource.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

Use this property to indicate an alternative (non-preferred) label for a resource.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

Acronyms, abbreviations, spelling variants, common mis-spellings and irregular plural/singular forms may be included among the alternative labels for a concept, to assist search.

Example:

(AJM suggestion, adapted from GCL 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Parks and gardens</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Country parks</skos:altLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Gardens</skos:altLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Allotments</skos:altLabel>
  <skos:altLabel xml:lang="en">Royal parks</skos:altLabel>
</skos:Concept>

skos:prefSymbol

Label: preferred symbol

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A preferred symbolic label for a resource.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

Use this property to indicate a preferred symbolic representation for a resource.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No two concepts in the same concept scheme may have the same value for skos:prefSymbol.

Example:

Chaals - something using Bliss?

skos:altSymbol

Label: alternative symbol

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

An alternative symbolic label for a resource.

Comment:

(2004-08-24)

Use this property to indicate an alternative (non-preferred) symbolic representation for a resource.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No comment.

Example:

Something from Chaals ... ?

skos:semanticRelation

Label: semantic relation

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A relationship of meaning between two concepts.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

This is the super-property of all properties used to make statements about how concepts within the same conceptual scheme relate to each other.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

This property should not be used directly, but as a super-property for all properties denoting a relationship of meaning between concepts.

Example:

No example.

skos:broader

Label: has broader

Definition:

SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A concept that is more general in meaning.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

This property carries weak semantics. It may be used to state that the object is in some way more general in meaning than the subject. Essentially it provides a means of organising concepts into a hierarchy (tree), without being restrictive about the exact semantic implications of the hierarchical structure itself. Extend this property to create properties that carry stronger semantics, but may be reduced to a hierarchical structure for simple visual displays.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

Broader concepts are typically rendered as parents in a concept hierarchy (tree).

Example:

(AJM Suggestion, adapted from GCL 2004-08-15)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Parks and gardens</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:broader rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c001"/>
</skos:Concept>

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c001">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Arts, recreation and travel</skos:prefLabel>
</skos:Concept>

skos:narrower

Label: has narrower

Definition:

SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A concept that is more specific in meaning.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

This property is the inverse of the 'broader' property.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

Narrower concepts are typically rendered as children in a concept hierarchy (tree).

Example:

(AJM Suggestion, adapted from GCL 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c001">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Arts, recreation and travel</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:narrower rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010"/>
</skos:Concept>

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Parks and gardens</skos:prefLabel>
</skos:Concept>

skos:related

Label: has related

Definition:

SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A concept that is related by meaning.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

This property carries weak semantics. It may be used to state that that the object is in some way related to the subject, and the relationship is NOT to be treated as hierarchical. Essentially it provides a means of linking concepts in different branches of a hierarchy (tree). Extend this property to create properties with stronger semantics, but may still be reduced to an associative structure for simple visual display.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No comment.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25, adapted from GCL)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c010">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Parks and gardens</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:related rdf:resource="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c201"/>
</skos:Concept>

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c201">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Non-residential property</skos:prefLabel>
</skos:Concept>

skos:scopeNote

Label: scope note

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

Some prose that helps to clarify the meaning of a concept.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

A scope note is a piece of text that in some way helps to elucidate the intended meaning of a concept.

(AJM suggestion 2004-08-25)

No comment.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion, adapted from AAT 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c460">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">European</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:scopeNote xml:lang="en">Refers to the cultures of the continent of Europe, which is in the northern
hemisphere, is bounded by the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea, and is generally
considered to be delimited on the east by the Ural Mountains.</skos:scopeNote>
</skos:Concept>

skos:definition

Label: definition

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

A statement or formal explanation of the meaning of a concept.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

A formal (dictionary style) definition of the intended meaning of a concept.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No comment.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion, adapted from OED 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c745">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Gastronomy</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:definition xml:lang="en">The art and science of good eating and drinking.</skos:definition>
</skos:Concept>

skos:example

Label: example

Definition:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

None.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

An instance of the intended use of a concept, that helps to clarify its meaning.

Comment:

(SKOS Core at 2004-08-24)

A contextual example of the use of a concept, that helps to elucidate its intended meaning.

(AJM Suggestion 2004-08-25)

No comment.

Example:

(AJM Suggestion, adapted from a rather old edition of OED :) 2004-08-25)

<skos:Concept rdf:about="http://example.org/scheme/concepts/c035">
  <skos:prefLabel xml:lang="en">Gratify</skos:prefLabel>
  <skos:example xml:lang="en">It gratified him to hear these gentleman admire his fine stock.</skos:example>
</skos:Concept>