Keywords

semantic web, conceptual modeling, knowledge bundles

Abstract

The semantic web purports to be a web of knowledge that can answer our questions, help us reason about everyday problems as well as scientific endeavors, and service many of our wants and needs. Researchers and others expound various views about exactly what this means. Here we propose an answer with conceptual modeling as its foundation. We define a web of knowledge as a collection of interconnected knowledge bundles superimposed over a web of documents. Knowledge bundles are conceptual model instances augmented with facilities that provide for both extensional and intensional facts, for linking between knowledge bundles yielding a web of data, and for linking to an underlying document collection providing a means of authentication. We formally define both the component parts of these augmented conceptual models and their synergistic interconnections. As for practicalities, we discuss problems regarding the potentially high cost of constructing a web of knowledge and explain how they may be mitigated. We also discuss usage issues and show how untrained users can interact with and gain benefit from a web of knowledge.

Original Publication Citation

"Conceptual Modeling Foundations for a Web of Knowledge", Handbook of Conceptual Modeling: Theory, Practice, and Research Challenges, Volume ISBN 978-3-642-15864-3, Pages 477-516, Springer Verlag, D.W. Embley and Bernhard Thalheim, 2011

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2011

Publisher

Handbook of Conceptual Modeling: Theory, Practice, and Research Challenges

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Information Systems Management

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Download

Share

COinS