7.7. Key Points in Chapter Seven
Classification is the systematic assignment of resources to a system of intentional categories, often institutional ones.
(See §7.1, “Introduction”)
A classification system is foremost a specification for the logical arrangement of resources because there are usually many possible and often arbitrary mappings of logical locations to physical ones.
A classification creates structure in the organizing system that increases the variety and capability of the interactions it can support.
Classifications are always biased by the purposes, experiences, professions, politics, values, and other characteristics and preferences of the people making them.
Three types of bias in technical systems are pre-existing, technical, and emergent bias.
Classification schemes in which all possible categories to which resources can be assigned are defined explicitly are called enumerative.
When multiple resource properties are considered in a fixed sequence, each property creates another level in the system of categories and the classification scheme is hierarchical or taxonomic.
Classification and standardization are not identical, but they are closely related. Some classifications become standards, and some standards ...
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