View source for SKOS

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== Definition ==

The (proposed) W3C standard SKOS stands for ''Simple Knowledge Organisation System''. Its goal is to 

{{quotationbox|SKOS is an [[XML]] / [[RDF]] vocabulary for representing semi-formal knowledge organization systems (KOS), such as thesauri, taxonomies, classification schemes and subject heading systems. [...]<br/>SKOS has been designed to provide a low-cost migration path for porting existing organization systems to the Semantic Web. SKOS also provides a light weight, intuitive conceptual modeling language for developing and sharing new KOSs. It can be used on its own, or in combination with more formal languages like the Web Ontology Language (OWL) [OWL]. SKOS can also be seen as a bridging technology, providing the missing link between the rigorous logical formalism of ontology languages such as OWL and the chaotic, informal and weakly-structured world of social approaches to information management, as exemplified by social tagging applications. ([http://www.w3.org/TR/skos-primer SKOS Simple Knowledge Organization System Primer]).}}

See also: [[Topic map]]s (an older non-RDF standard with similar intentions, but more mature probably) and [[subject heading]] and [[controlled vocabulary]]

== Some more details ==

Fundamental SKOS vocabulary elements:
* concepts
* labels
* relations
* concept schemes

== Links ==

=== General ===

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Knowledge_Organisation_System Simple Knowledge Organization System], Wikipedia.

=== Specifications ===

As of March 2008 SKOS is (still) a W3C Working Draft...

* [http://www.w3.org/TR/skos-primer SKOS Simple Knowledge Organization System Primer] (W3C)

* [http://www.w3.org/TR/skos-reference SKOS Simple Knowledge Organization System Reference]

=== Tutorials ===

* [http://www.few.vu.nl/~aisaac/talks/SKOS-Catch.pdf SKOS Tutorial Catch], slides by Mark van Assem, Antoine Isaac (PDF)

* [http://www.xml.com/lpt/a/1593 Introducing SKOS], by By Peter Mikhalenko, XML.com, June 22, 2005

* [http://www.idealliance.org/proceedings/xtech05/papers/03-04-01/ SKOS: A language to describe simple knowledge structures for the web], by A. Miles et al., Xtech 2005


[[Category: Standards]]
[[Category: XML]]
[[Category: Knowledge representation]]