Where can I find the explanation of codes and abbreviations used in the TESE navigation tool?
The codes and abbreviations are explained in section 4.1. in the presentation of the TESE thesaurus, which is available in your selected language in the 'Downloads' option in the left-hand menu.
In what languages is the TESE thesaurus available?
The list of available language versions is visible in the drop-down menu under the title 'Select the TESE language'. To browse within the thesaurus or search for a descriptor in the navigation tool, indicate first of all the language version you wish to consult by selecting a language in the left-hand menu.
You can switch from any page at any time to another TESE language by selecting a new language in the left-hand menu. The language displayed by default is that of your browser.
How do I find a descriptor/concept using the navigation tool?
• If you are uncertain about the thesaurus terminology describing the concept, use the 'Navigate the hierarchy' option. By browsing in the microthesauri relevant to your field of interest, you are likely to identify the descriptor that best fits the concept in question (for further details see also 'How should I use the 'Navigate the hierarchy' option?').
How should I use the 'Search for a descriptor' option?
By means of the 'Search for a descriptor' option in the left-hand menu, you may search for one term among the TESE descriptors and non-descriptors, in the language version chosen beforehand using the left-hand menu.
The search may be carried out in two ways:
• By clicking on the 'Search for a descriptor' menu: the rotated list of all TESE descriptors and non-descriptors is displayed on the central page, beginning with the first letter of the alphabet. The alphabet near the top of the page can be used to change from one letter to another.
• By typing a word in the field provided: the rotated list of descriptors and non-descriptors containing this word or character string is displayed as a result on the central page. The search disregards accents and is not case-sensitive.
What should I do if the search for a descriptor fails to give a result?
• Searching for descriptors is carried out solely in the language selected beforehand from the left-hand menu. You should therefore make a point of indicating which TESE language version you wish to use before beginning your search.
• Just a single word should be searched (not expressions or compound descriptors).
• The system sometimes suggests the use of certain terms that are close to your search and appear in the TESE. If you wish, you may carry out your search again on one of them.
• Truncation (*) may also be used to broaden the search or to locate various forms of a word (e.g. singular/plural). See the example below involving a search on '*migr*'.
How should I use the results list in the 'Search for a descriptor' option?
The TESE descriptors and non-descriptors are shown as a clickable list which rotates around words (in bold) containing the term or character string that you are searching for. See also 'How should I optimise browsing in the TESE navigation tool?' , to learn how to make the most of it.
If this list covers several pages, you may change pages by clicking on the page number on the top right-hand side. The first and last word on the page may be viewed in a pop-up window on each page number.
How should I use the 'Navigate the hierarchy' option?
• Click on the 'Navigate the hierarchy' option. The list of microthesauri is displayed in the left-hand menu and on the central page, with the description of each microthesaurus.
• Next click on your selected microthesaurus in the left-hand menu or on the main page. The list of top terms (descriptors at the first level of the MT hierarchy) in the microthesaurus will appear.
• To browse in the hierarchy of this microthesaurus, you may:
- Click on the '+' sign which precedes the descriptors of interest to you;
- Click on the 'See entire MT' button on the top right-hand side for the drop-down display of the entire microthesaurus hierarchy.
• To change microthesauri, you can select a fresh MT in the left-hand menu.
How should I optimise browsing in the TESE navigation tool?
The TESE navigation tool has been devised for viewing further information by means of contextual windows and for changing the browsing mode at any time.
• Accessing information on a descriptor:
When browsing in the hierarchy and the rotated list, place your mouse on a descriptor to view all its non-descriptors and/or its scope note in a contextual window. By clicking on a descriptor you can view its full presentation (with all its linguistic equivalents, hierarchical and associative relationships, non-descriptors and scope note where applicable).
In the full presentation of a descriptor, you can similarly click on each of the descriptors linked to it, to view their own presentation.
• Accessing information on a microthesaurus:
When a rotated list or the full presentation of a descriptor is displayed, you can place the mouse on the microthesaurus code (MT). Its name is displayed in a contextual window.
At any time, you can also click on the microthesaurus code to view its hierarchy.
What does the indication [x search results] correspond to in the presentation of some descriptors?
It refers to the number of resources indexed with this descriptor on the Eurydice website.
• Click on the '[x search results]' link to display these resources. As an example, the page below presents the four resources that have been indexed with the 'accreditation' descriptor.
• You may then either return to the navigation tool or refine your search by clicking on the 'Back to TESE' or 'Refine' buttons respectively on the upper left-hand side.
How should the TESE be used to carry out a search on the website?
Three methods of searching are possible:
• A simple search (solely in French, English or German). Copy the descriptors you have selected in the area provided for this purpose in the left-hand menu (upper box). Practical information:
- Take care to eliminate superfluous spaces or tabulation marks to enable the system to recognise the descriptor. - If you are performing a search with several descriptors, use inverted commas for compound descriptors. - The AND will be used by default between descriptors; separate them by OR if you do not wish to combine them.
• An advanced search via the TESE thesaurus (in all languages in which the TESE thesaurus is available). Click in the left-hand menu (upper box) on the 'Advanced search (Thesaurus)' link. In the search page, click on the 'Via the TESE thesaurus' option. This search mode identifies solely information indexed using the TESE descriptors.
• An advanced search in combined mode (solely in French, English or German). Click in the left-hand menu (upper box) on the 'Advanced search (Thesaurus)' link. In the search page, click the 'Combined search' option. As in the case of simple searches, the combined search identifies both information indexed with the descriptors and occurrences of the sought term in the full text.
See also the search engine FAQ for further information on each of these search modes.
Where can I find further information on the TESE?
You can access all documents constituting a language version of the TESE by clicking on the 'Downloads' option in the left-hand menu.
First indicate the language version you wish to download by selecting a language in the left-hand menu.
In it are:
• the different parts of the TESE language version (preface, detailed general presentation, statistics, rotated, alphabetical and hierarchical displays, acknowledgements);
Remember that the codes and abbreviations used in the TESE navigation tool are explained in section 4.1. of the presentation of the TESE thesaurus.
If you are unable to find the reply to your question in the documents for downloading, or from these most frequently asked questions, please contact the staff responsible for the TESE thesaurus at the Eurydice European Unit, at the following address: thesaurus@eurydice.org.
It should be noted that the hypertext links may be used to browse the TESE in the alphabetic display that may be downloaded in PDF. The following picture illustrates part of this PDF:
How should the multilingual list of descriptors (CSV file) be used?
The CSV file contains the list of TESE descriptors in all language versions available, with one column for each language. The first column contains the descriptor identification number in the database and the second column the year a concept has been added. All descriptors included in the first edition of the TESE are dated 2006.
The separator between each column is the semi-colon (;). To use this file in your chosen spreadsheet, convert the text into columns.
For example, in Excel:
1. Select the first column in the Excel table
2. In the 'Data' menu, select 'Text to column'
3. Tick the 'Delimited' option and click on 'Next'
4. Tick the 'Other' option and indicate the ';' sign
5. Click on 'Next' and then 'Finish'.
Is it possible to use the TESE thesaurus in my own information system?
Reproducing the TESE or its use for documentary purposes, except commercial purposes, are authorised on condition that the source is acknowledged (with specific reference to Eurydice and to the TESE, including its year of publication).
To do this, you can download the TESE thesaurus TESE in XML in the 'Downloads' section of the left-hand menu (see tese.xsd based on SKOS).
How can I take part in updating the TESE thesaurus?
Eurydice regularly updates the TESE thesaurus. To help us do so, you are requested to submit your proposals for change to the Eurydice European Unit (EEU) using the maintenance form that can be accessed via the left-hand menu. So that the EEU can fully understand your proposals, please be as clear and precise as possible when explaining them.
The EEU examines each proposal for amendment or further expansion and its impact on the TESE, and forwards its opinion to the TESE Management Group and the Working Group on Linguistic Equivalents. The final decision on whether or not to make any changes to the TESE is taken by its Management Group.
Users are informed about the availability of a new update on the EEU central website (http://www.eurydice.org).
