Open AccessDefining annotations: a visual (re)interpretation
Author(s) -
Ruvane Mary B.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
proceedings of the american society for information science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1550-8390
pISSN - 0044-7870
DOI - 10.1002/meet.14504301226
Subject(s) - annotation , metadata , geographer , variety (cybernetics) , synonym (taxonomy) , interpretation (philosophy) , computer science , point (geometry) , cultural heritage , digitization , settlement (finance) , data science , tying , world wide web , information retrieval , history , archaeology , geography , artificial intelligence , cartography , botany , geometry , mathematics , programming language , payment , computer vision , biology , genus , operating system
A variety of research has focused on annotations and methods for incorporating ‘them’ into digital formats. Absent from most is a clear definition of what is meant by the term ‘annotation’ and the characteristics they embody. In the digital world it is often perceived as a synonym for metadata, but in the analog world it may refer to a reader's scribbled notes in the margins. These are both types of annotation, but at opposing ends of the scale; one formal the other informal. Marshall's (1998b) seven dimensions of annotation are (re)presented here in a new visual format (figure 1) for comparison to an historical geographers information needs and note taking behavior. One of the geographer's objectives was to reconstruct a digital map of 18th century North Carolina settlement patterns. The findings point to an untapped avenue for improving access to our nations cultural heritage.