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1996 Volume 11
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RESEARCH ARTICLE   Open Access    

Ontologies: principles, methods and applications

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  • Abstract: This paper is intended to serve as a comprehensive introduction to the emerging field concerned with the design and use of ontologies. We observe that disparate backgrounds, languages, tools and techniques are a major barrier to effective communication among people, organisations and/or software understanding (i.e. an “ontology”) in a given subject area, can improve such communication, which in turn, can give rise to greater reuse and sharing, inter-operability, and more reliable software. After motivating their need, we clarify just what ontologies are and what purpose they serve. We outline a methodology for developing and evaluating ontologies, first discussing informal techniques, concerning such issues as scoping, handling ambiguity, reaching agreement and producing definitions. We then consider the benefits and describe, a more formal approach. We re-visit the scoping phase, and discuss the role of formal languages and techniques in the specification, implementation and evalution of ontologies. Finally, we review the state of the art and practice in this emerging field, considering various case studies, software tools for ontology development, key research issues and future prospects.
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  • Cite this article

    Mike Uschold, Michael Gruninger. 1996. Ontologies: principles, methods and applications. The Knowledge Engineering Review. 11:7 doi: 10.1017/S0269888900007797
    Mike Uschold, Michael Gruninger. 1996. Ontologies: principles, methods and applications. The Knowledge Engineering Review. 11:7 doi: 10.1017/S0269888900007797
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RESEARCH ARTICLE   Open Access    

Ontologies: principles, methods and applications

  • Published online: 07 July 2009
The Knowledge Engineering Review  11,  Article number: 10.1017/S0269888900007797  (1996)  |  Cite this article

Abstract: Abstract: This paper is intended to serve as a comprehensive introduction to the emerging field concerned with the design and use of ontologies. We observe that disparate backgrounds, languages, tools and techniques are a major barrier to effective communication among people, organisations and/or software understanding (i.e. an “ontology”) in a given subject area, can improve such communication, which in turn, can give rise to greater reuse and sharing, inter-operability, and more reliable software. After motivating their need, we clarify just what ontologies are and what purpose they serve. We outline a methodology for developing and evaluating ontologies, first discussing informal techniques, concerning such issues as scoping, handling ambiguity, reaching agreement and producing definitions. We then consider the benefits and describe, a more formal approach. We re-visit the scoping phase, and discuss the role of formal languages and techniques in the specification, implementation and evalution of ontologies. Finally, we review the state of the art and practice in this emerging field, considering various case studies, software tools for ontology development, key research issues and future prospects.

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    Mike Uschold, Michael Gruninger. 1996. Ontologies: principles, methods and applications. The Knowledge Engineering Review. 11:7 doi: 10.1017/S0269888900007797
    Mike Uschold, Michael Gruninger. 1996. Ontologies: principles, methods and applications. The Knowledge Engineering Review. 11:7 doi: 10.1017/S0269888900007797
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