Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS)
Definition
Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) is a standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for representing and sharing knowledge organization systems, such as thesauri, classification schemes, and subject heading systems, using the Resource Description Framework (RDF). SKOS provides a simple and flexible model for expressing concepts and their relationships, making it easier for organizations to publish and share their vocabularies on the web, facilitate content indexing and retrieval, and enable interoperability between different knowledge organization systems.
Key Components of SKOS
- Concepts: SKOS is centered around the notion of concepts, which are used to represent ideas or meanings in a knowledge organization system. In SKOS, concepts are identified by a unique Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).
- Labels: SKOS uses labels to provide human-readable representations of concepts. There are three types of labels: preferred labels (unique and unambiguous), alternative labels (synonyms or variations), and hidden labels (used for indexing and searching but not displayed).
- Documentation: SKOS provides properties for adding documentation or notes to concepts, such as definitions, examples, or editorial notes.
- Semantic Relationships: SKOS defines three main types of semantic relationships between concepts: hierarchical (broader/narrower), associative (related), and mapping (exact match, close match, broad match, narrow match, and related match).
- Concept Schemes: A concept scheme is a collection of SKOS concepts organized according to specific criteria, such as a thesaurus, classification scheme, or subject heading system. Concept schemes provide context and structure for the concepts they contain.
Benefits of SKOS
- Interoperability: By using a standardized format, SKOS enables the sharing and reuse of knowledge organization systems across different applications and platforms, facilitating data integration and interoperability.
- Semantic Web Integration: As an RDF-based standard, SKOS can be easily integrated with other Semantic Web technologies and linked data resources, enhancing the discovery, navigation, and analysis of information.
- Ease of Use: SKOS provides a simple and intuitive model for representing concepts and their relationships, making it accessible to domain experts and developers.
- Extensibility: SKOS can be extended with additional RDF properties and classes to accommodate specific requirements or use cases, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to different domains and applications.
Example of SKOS Usage
A library that maintains a thesaurus of subject headings can use SKOS to represent and publish its thesaurus on the web, enabling other organizations and applications to easily access, reuse, and link to the library's controlled vocabulary. This facilitates the consistent indexing and retrieval of resources across different systems and promotes the integration of the library's data with other linked data sources.
In summary, Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) is a standard for representing and sharing knowledge organization systems on the web, promoting interoperability, data integration, and the use of Semantic Web technologies. By providing a simple and flexible model for expressing concepts and their relationships, SKOS enables organizations to publish and share their vocabularies and facilitates the consistent indexing and retrieval of information across different applications and platforms.