APPENDIX C-4 Record Content Analysis Methodology

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June 30, 1997 An Evaluation of U.S. GILS Implementation Moen & McClureTable C4-3Aggregation SemanticsCode Operational Definition ExamplesRecord AggregatesObjectsGILS record, by virtue of its creation, collects discreteinformation resources that record content indicateswould not have otherwise been collected or aggregated.• Privacy ActSystemscompilationAssigned in the absence of clues within the record that • filesthe represented objects were heretofore packaged as • press releasesthis collection to optimize information discovery andretrieval.• formsAggregated ObjectRepresentedDiscrete ObjectRepresentedObject AggregatesMetadataGILS record represents an a priori or purposefulcollection of information resources—e.g., woodpeckerdatabase or agency website. GILS record represents anobject that collects, or comprises, two or more discreteinformation objects, and that represents a collection ofstandalone information files or products packagedtogether on the basis of a common theme or subject forfunctional convenience.GILS record describes a standalone document-levelentity that does not meet the criteria for “objectaggregates metadata” below.GILS record describes a pre-existing metadatacollection, or “locator,” as an information resource.• CD-ROM ofregulations• System thatcompiles PrivacyAct records• job line of openrequisitions• annual report• videotape• directory• catalog• index• log5.3. Content Analysis of Sampled RecordsAs of early January 1997, 42 agencies’ GILS had been discovered by procedures identified in Section 5.2 Survey ofthe GILS Universe. The 83 sampled records, selected as described in the next paragraph, resided in three broad“host” categories: GPO (61% of the sample), record sources (34%), and FedWorld (5%). 93% of sampled recordsresided on a WAIS or Z39.50-compliant server, with the remaining on an HTTP server containing standalone HTMLfiles of GILS records. (Note: since the time period of analysis, FedWorld and GPO have mounted record-sourcehosted GILS and those hosted by one another, and at least one HTTP-based GILS has migrated to WAIS).The record content analysis per se first involved selection of GILS records from the known GILS universe (seeTable C4-1 Record Content Analysis Sample Population) in one of two ways. For GILS featuring a search engine(i.e., residing on an information retrieval-based platform such as WAIS or Z39.50-compliant server or including asite-resident search engine), the investigator retrieved the first and last “hits” resulting from a “full-text” query of theagency acronym (using the default “number of records to return”). For GILS on which this was not possible (i.e.,those mounted on a web server of HTML files that present only a picklist of record titles as if for known-itemretrieval or browsing), the investigator retrieved the first and last items listed. In the event of multiple record formatsper record, the HTML format was selected.The resultant 83 records (one agency’s GILS featured only 1 record) were printed for ease of study and comparativereference. Their characteristics were assessed and recorded in a relational database for compilation andsubsequently transferred to a spreadsheet for analysis using descriptive statistics. A subset of the total was createdand subject to identical analysis by filtering the data for values of “US Federal GILS” or “U.S. Federal GILS” in theControlled Vocabulary-Local Subject Index-Local Subject Term subelement—a state presumed to indicate recordcreators’intention of identifying the record as a “Core record” as delineated in the NARA Guidelines. No furtheroperationalization of the “Federal Core” was achieved in this evaluation. The “Core subset” comprised 50% of thetotal sample.C-4—Page 6
Moen & McClure An Evaluation of U.S. GILS Implementation June 30, 1997Table C4-4Information Object SemanticsObject Operational Definition ExamplesAdministrativeCatalogAgencyHomepageBibliographicDatabaseFormJob LineMiscellaneousDocuments InAd HocCollectionOrganizationProgramPublicationPublicationsCatalogSubject MatterDatabaseSystem OfSystemsA locator listing of procedural actions related tothe conduct of agency businessInformation mounted on an HTTP serverAn automated information system comprisingmetadata about bibliographicentities/publicationsA document designed to elicit and transmitspecific information from the user to thesupplier, respectivelyA telephonic recording of employmentopportunitiesPlurality of documents grouped by function orsubjectA set of human resources defined by an agencyto provide specific products or servicesA prescribed set of activities and functionsperformed to accomplish an objectiveDiscrete monographic document published onetimeor in serial mode to disseminateinformationA fixed, flat (non-machine-searchable) listing ofselected or all agency publicationsSingle, stand-alone automated informationsystem comprising data, records, or multipledocuments on technical or administrativesubject(s) and/or definable reference themesMacro-AIS comprising or integrating multipledatabases and/or single-AISsFERC’s “Directory Of ExternalInformation CollectionRequirements”PBGC’s “Log Of BenefitTermination Plans”USPS’s “Index Of FinalOpinions And Orders”“Superintendent of DocumentsHome Page on the WorldWide Web”DOE’s “OpenNet”“HUD USER”“Request for Registration forPolitical Risk Insurance“SSA-1710”“DOI Employment Center”bulletins and memorandapress releasespublic commentsunder-described “technicaldocuments” and “reports”update noticeslettersspeechesrecordsinformation center/libraryresearch consortiumNASA’s “Flight DynamicsFacility”report managementrecords managementannual reportuser’s manual“The Federal Register”Regulations CD-ROMfact-sheet seriesprocedures manualFEMA’s “PublicationsCatalog”Privacy-Act recordshealth risksaviation accidentsred cockaded woodpeckerDOD’s “Enterprise InformationSystem”EPA’s “Information SystemsInventory”C-4—Page 7
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