ERIC Launches Quarterly Thesaurus Updates

January 12, 2006

ERIC has established a schedule of quarterly updates to the Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors, ERIC's controlled vocabulary designed to aid searchers. The initial update, posted to www.eric.ed.gov on January 8, primarily addresses problems in two areas:

Linking synonyms with postable terms (e.g., Blueprints is now shown correctly as a synonym for Building Design)
Correcting the Scope Notes of some Descriptors (e.g., a Scope Note for Daily Living Skills now references the fact that from 1996 to 2004, some documents on this topic may have been indexed under Self Care Skills, which is no longer a postable term)

Approximately 120 terms were modified in this update. With these technical and mechanical issues resolved, ERIC's Lexicography Team will now turn to conceptual issues in the Thesaurus. Look for the next update in April 2006.