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Purposes of a Thesaurus Explained

A thesaurus is a reference work that groups similar words together, such as synonyms, to provide a standardized vocabulary for information storage and retrieval. It aims to map relationships between concepts to help users understand a field and ensure consistency across indexers by specifying the correct term to use for indexing and searching a particular concept. The major purposes of a thesaurus are to provide a conceptual map of a knowledge domain, standardize vocabulary, and guide users to choose the appropriate search term.

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111 views1 page

Purposes of a Thesaurus Explained

A thesaurus is a reference work that groups similar words together, such as synonyms, to provide a standardized vocabulary for information storage and retrieval. It aims to map relationships between concepts to help users understand a field and ensure consistency across indexers by specifying the correct term to use for indexing and searching a particular concept. The major purposes of a thesaurus are to provide a conceptual map of a knowledge domain, standardize vocabulary, and guide users to choose the appropriate search term.

Uploaded by

HellenNdegwa
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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 In general usage, a thesaurus is a reference work that lists words grouped together

according to similarity of meaning (containing synonyms and sometimes antonyms), in


contrast to a dictionary, which provides definitions for words, and generally lists them in
alphabetical order.
 a compilation of terms showing synonymous, hierarchical, and other relationships and
dependencies, the function of which is to provide a standardized, controlled vocabulary
for information storage and retrieval.

The major purposes of a thesaurus

1. To provide a map of a given field of knowledge, indicating how concepts or ideas about
concepts are related to one another, which helps an indexer or a searcher to understand
the structure of the field.

2. To provide a standard vocabulary for a given subject field which will ensure that indexers
are consistent when they are making index entries to an information storage and retrieval
system.

3. To provide a system of references between terms which will ensure that only one term
from a set of synonyms is used for indexing one concept.

4. To provide a guide for users of the systems so that they choose the correct term for a
subject search.

5. A desirable purpose is to provide a means by which the use of terms in a given subject
field may be standardized.

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