Internet Governance Glossary (IGG)

The originally conceived workflow was implemented step-by-step in the course of developing the IGG project and proved to be sufficiently flexible when modifications were necessary. It included the following 26 steps (each of them covering a set of actions):

• 1. Collection of documents pertinent to Internet Governance (IG)

  About 30 experts collected almost 150 potential sources on which to base the terminology work for the IGG. These documents also comprised lists of suggested term candidates for the glossary and already existing more or less pertinent glossaries.

• 2. Consolidated selection of documents to be analyzed

  About 100 documents were chosen to constitute the reference list.

• 3. Categorization documents according to defined criteria

  The textual documents were separated from the glossaries and added further pertinent sources. Then the documents were renumbered, coded and categorized according to type of document (i.e. sort of text, such as report, article etc.), assumed suitability for term extraction (categorized as highly suitable, less suitable and to be neglected at least during the phase of term extraction).

• 4. Outlining the glossary methodology

  The basics of the methodology to be applied were drafted taking into account the circumstances of the IGG project in terms of capacities and time framework.

• 5. Selection of IGG term candidates with contexts

  Based on the texts classified and the state-of-the- art literature, the term candidates with contexts and annotations were selected and decided on five IG dimensions to group the terms according to sub-themes.

• 6. Document preparation for testing term extraction tools (TET)

  Several text corpora were established under the “ProTerm” software so that any useful subset of documents can potentially be analyzed for selected term candidates.

• 7. Providing a draft list of term candidates in pre-evaluation format

  As the data collected in step 5 proved to be very voluminous, a format for starting with the pre-evaluation process was applied. This included suggestions for simplifying the descriptions of the terms.

• 8. Preparation of a comment template

  The template gathering comments through electronic communication (in parallel to step 7).

• 9. Proposal for drafting the descriptions

  (in parallel to step 7).

• 10. Consolidating the list of term candidates for the IGG

  In consultation with partners involved in the project, the first draft IGG and used it for pre-evaluation.

• 11. Selecting and adapting a term extraction tool

  (in parallel to step 10) The term extraction (or better, terms and names identification) tool “ProTerm” was selected and adapted for the IGG purpose in such a way that all or any useful subset of the documents can potentially be analyzed for selected term candidates. Several text corpora were established under this software.

• 12. Pre-evaluation by experts selected and consulted online

  A group of experts was establish for the selection of IGG term candidates on the basis of the consolidated first draft IGG. The experts selected terms from the term candidates, de-selected others and added a few new term candidates. Experts also commented on the dimensions and rearranged some of the term candidates according to the dimensions.

• 13. Pre-evaluation results

  The pre-evaluation results were considered in the further work on the IGG.

• 14. Checking and processing pre-evaluation data

  The data was checked and integrated them into a preliminary table of contents for the future IGG. The de-selected term candidates were kept for the time being in a separate list.

• 15. Analyzing the integrated table of categorized term candidates

  (in parallel to step 15) the re-compiled term candidates were analyzed and integrated into a preliminary table of contents for the future IGG.

• 16. Preliminary consolidation of the re-compilation results

  The comments as recorded and assessed in the comment template and the draft table contents for the future IGG were used for the preparation of the preliminary document.

• 17. Consolidating the IGG methodology

  (in parallel to step 16).

• 18. Discussion of the draft table of contents

• 19. Finalized selection of categorized terms

  On the basis of the discussions, the selection of term candidates for the IGG at that stage was finalized.

• 20. Drafting user-friendly descriptions

  In the course of the preparation of user-friendly descriptions, several actions were carried out that contributed to reach the objective such as:
  - putting the selected terms into a thematic order taking into consideration the given recommendations and their pertinence,
  - reducing the volume of the descriptions as well as the number and volume of the notes,
  - combining a couple of entries according to the consolidation of the description and the context extracted from ProTerm (e.g. eSignature and digital signature, cybercrime…),
  - separating a couple of entries (e.g. TCP and IP),
  - adding a couple of entries (e.g. Internet),
  - providing cross-references (highlighted in red and bold --> not yet complete, and not yet in the final layout),
  - adding sources by using the term identification and extraction tool ProTerm,
  - NOT adding explanatory text to the organizations and other names, such as conventions/treaties.
  - taking-off the de-selected terms and putting them into a different file.

• 21. Computer-assisted comparison of contexts

  (in parallel to step 20) ProTerm proved to be very useful in identifying significant contexts as material for the descriptions, clearly keeping track of the source(s), etc.

• 22. Editing the IGG methodology

  (in parallel to step 20) in the course of stage 4 the IGG methodology was pre-finalized.

• 23. Consolidation of the IGG entries

  A total revision and edition was carried out integrating the input received and the pertinent context extracted to complete the descriptions. For the validation meeting, all material was prepared as well as a list of the terms in alphabetic order (i.e. as an index). A note to the layout of the IGG entries was added after the table of contents.

• 24. Translation of IGG entries into Arabic

  Being aware of the fact that many terms related to IG and ICT have been borrowed mainly from English or French into Arabic, the document was translated into Arabic.

• 25. Face to face validation meeting with experts and stakeholders

• 26. Integration of last input, online consultations and final consolidation of the IGG

  A final Arabic-English version of the IGG with about 200 terms (under seven dimensions) comprising about 50 proper names of major organizations, forums, networks, groups, conferences, regulations and legal instruments, was consolidated following the input and issues or recommendations discussed.