ICML 9

9º Congreso Mundial de Información en Salud y Bibliotecas

Salvador, Bahia - Brasil, 20 a 23 de septiembre de 2005

BVS4

4a. Reunión de Coordinación Regional de la BVS

19 y 20 de septiembre de 2005

Evaluation of indexing language in the perspective of the organizational culture of the BIREME information system with a focus on the development of brazilian science

Participantes:

Evaluation of indexing language in the perspective of  the organizational culture of the BIREME information system with a focus on the development of brazilian science

The technological advances and the expansion of financial supports were some of the determining factors for the technological and scientific planning which took place in the late 1940`s, influencing the increasing development of Brazilian science. The indexing language, in this context, must reflect the need of research of the Brazilian scientific community, as well as represent the organizational culture in which the information system is inserted, represented by its cultural elements and its form of performance. Whenever the indexing language is not compatible with the user’s search language, and consequen tly does not reflect this culture, the quality of the research performed and the credibility of the information system are jeopardized. Thus, the proposition is to evaluate, through the elements of the organizational culture of the BIREME  Information System, the DeCS language, utilized for information retrieval in the LILACS System, aiming at obtaining indicators to outline  language improving strategies in the field of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. In order to do so, the verbal protocol technique (think aloud) was utilized, having  as subjects,  four researchers from the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department FOB-USP, representing the four specialties in the area, i.e., Language, Voice, Oral Motricity and Audiology, selected and observed with the verbal protocol, whose task was to perform information retrieval,  in the field of subject descriptor of the search interface of LILACS’ database, utilizing the DeCS language. The analysis of the transcriptions of the verbal protocols d emonstrated that the methodology employed was effective in enabling the collection, in real time, of the subjects’ statements on the performance of DeCS utilized for information retrieval in the LILACS System.  The study carried out a reflection on the declarations issued by the subjects participating in our research and the results obtained from the analysis show that the DeCS, in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, led the searches to unsatisfactory results as for information retrieval,  not only from formal aspects of the language, but also for not possessing sufficient generic and/or specific terms to represent the area studied, as well as not reflecting the terminology utilized by the Brazilian scientific community, among other factors which compromise the development of science and research in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology area. It was concluded that the improvement of the DeCS in the area of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology requires the updating of corresponding descriptors according to the reality of scientific advancement in the field, among other aspects. It is recommended that the BIREME, an institution responsible for the compilation of DeCS, elaborate a specific category for the area of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, representing the literature and the Brazilian scientific community in the area, so as to meet its objectives and organizational culture.