ARCHIVÉE 1.3.5. Terminology Case Files

 

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All information required to understand and analyze a given concept and to use the related terminology properly (preferred terms, synonyms, spelling variants, syntactic variants, abbreviations, etc., together with usage notes) is organized in the form of a terminology case file. The case file also includes excerpts taken from the documentation studied; these excerpts are called textual supports.

A terminology case file normally concerns a single concept. As your research progresses, you may discover that what you thought at first was one concept is actually more complicated, and you will be able to separate the information you have acquired into as many case files as there are concepts.

Once you have selected the concepts to be retained for analysis, write down or otherwise record all the information that you will need to identify and delimit the concept, establish concept systems, and synthesize in the form of a terminological entry. This information includes definitions, contexts, remarks, usage samples, phraseologisms, and the sources of all items of information retained. You may use your collection of terminology case files to structure and document your knowledge about the concepts you are studying.

A standardization committee may use a terminology case file as a basis for review, discussion and decision making.

Terminology case files can take the form of paper documents gathered together in a traditional folder or of electronic files in a folder on your computer. The important thing is that all the information pertaining to a concept, its designations and their use is collected in one place and are easy to consult. Such files are an indispensable tool for vocabulary research and for terminology standardization.

Components of a Terminology Case File

The term that designates the concept that is the subject of the case file, as well as any abbreviations, syntactic and spelling variants, and apparent synonyms are all added to the case file.

In addition, the following information about the concept may be included in a terminology case file.

• Definition: A definition gives the essential semantic features of a concept as well as those that distinguish the concept from all others.
• Context: A context is a quoted text that illustrates the definition. A defining or explanatory context provides information about the concept, although the essential and delimiting characteristics may not all be revealed in the excerpt.
• Usage Samples and Phraseologisms: Usage samples (sentences) and phraseologisms (terms together with common co-occurrents) show how the terms are used, without providing information about the concept.
• Notes or Observations: Notes or observations provide further information regarding usage of the terms in discourse.
• References: References indicate the sources of the textual supports and terms.