RT Journal DB /z-wcorg/ DS http://worldcat.org ID 439238543 LA English T1 Ontologies A1 Vickery, B.C., PB Sage Publications YR 1997 SN 0165-5515 JF Journal of Information Science VO 23 IS 4 SP 277 OP 286 AB The paper discusses the emergence of the term ‘ontology’ in knowledge engineering (and now in information science). A definition of the term as currently used is given: an explicit specification of a ‘world’ that is to be represented in a computer system. The background that has led to the emergence of this concept is sketched, and examples of ontologies are provided. The process of building an ontology is discussed, and the uses of such tools in knowledge engineering. There is a concluding commentary comparing ontologies with similar tools used in information science.