Difference between revisions of "Dictionary Edit Procedures"

Dictionary Procedures[edit]

BACKGROUND[edit]

For many years a paper version of the Dictionary was maintained by editors such as Peter Kent. The original 1970-89 IALA Dictionary Edition, was digitised through a semi-automated OCR process in February 2009. New terms were added or revised in 2009 – 2011 in March 2009 and further terms or revisions were added in October 2012.

It was noted at that time that there was a need to check the quality of the digitising process. Therefore there was a plan for Dictionary Editors to work their way through the digitised part of the Dictionary, marking each term appropriately and terms which need further editing to be added to Category 'Needs Editing'. Little progress was made with this. No updating of the terms in the Dictionary occurred between 2012 and 2016. There was very limited awareness or use of the Dictionary in the Committees and therefore there was a risk of terms being redefined in IALA documents without reference to the Dictionary and of new terms not being added.

The ENG Committee Task 5.3.3 (work period 2014-2018) requested the ENG Committee to develop the IALA Dictionary to keep the Dictionary maintained and updated. At a meeting during ENG3 it was proposed that a Dictionary Working Group (DWG) be set up as a working group of the PAP for this purpose. The DWG was formed in December 2015 with the inaugural meeting on 15 December 2015.

DICTIONARY REQUIREMENTS[edit]

Purpose[edit]

The International Dictionary of Marine Aids to Navigation (Dictionary) provides a definitive definition of terms used in IALA documents and a list of acronyms commonly used in IALA.

Usage[edit]

The Dictionary is a valuable resource available to all. It is available without restriction on the internet.

Scope[edit]

The Dictionary will include definitions of terms and acronyms as deemed appropriate by the DWG.

Shared terms[edit]

There are many terms used commonly in IALA documents that originate from other organisations. If these are replicated in the IALA Dictionary, there is a risk that updates by the “parent” organisation will not be updated in the IALA Dictionary. Such definitions should be provided as links via the IALA Dictionary rather than replicating the definition.

Languages of the IALA Dictionary[edit]

IALA policy is that IALA documentation should be provided in the three major languages English, French and Spanish. This will be applied to the Dictionary also.

DICTIONARY WORKING GROUP (DWG) TERMS OF REFERENCE[edit]

Purpose[edit]

The Dictionary Working Group (DWG) has the responsibility to:

• Maintain the Dictionary of Marine Aids to Navigation (Dictionary) in good order to ensure that the terms are up to date and accurate;
• Approve the addition, amendment or removal of Dictionary terms and acronyms following scrutiny for accuracy;
• Promote the use of the Dictionary in IALA Committees and IALA Membership and in IALA documentation;
• Delete obsolete or non-relevant entries;
• Review the entries over time to provide an on-going update.

Authority[edit]

The Dictionary Working Group reports to the Policy Advisory Panel (PAP) and takes its authority from the PAP. While striving for consensus, decisions will be by majority of the DWG members.

At its 62nd session, the IALA Council delegated approval authority of new terms and definition and revised definitions to the PAP Dictionary Working Group, with the exception of terms and definitions already approved by the Council as part of existing official IALA documents.

Membership[edit]

The membership of the DWG is the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the VTS, ARM, ENAV and ENG Technical Committees, Committee Secretaries, Technical Operations Manager. The IALA Technical Operations Manager will chair the DWG.

Secretarial support[edit]

Support with administration will be provided by the Secretariat Technical Operations Manager and the ENG Committee Secretary. Editing of the Dictionary will be carried out by the IALA Secretariat.

Meetings[edit]

The DWG is expected to meet twice per year after each round of Committee meetings. Meetings will be convened by the Technical Operations Manager.

The work of the DWG will be overseen by the PAP. .

DICTIONARY AMENDMENT PROCEDURE[edit]

The following procedure for developing, maintaining and promoting the IALA Dictionary will be used:

• The Dictionary will be managed by an IALA Dictionary Working Group (DWG) of the PAP.
• Proposals for updating or adding Dictionary term definitions and acronyms will be submitted using a template form which will be an input paper to all Committee meetings;
• The proposal for addition or amendment will be assessed and approved by the DWG;
• The Secretariat will maintain a list of proposed and approved changes/ additions;
• The IALA Dictionary Working Group (DWG) will meet at half year intervals by GoToMeeting after each round of Committee meetings to review / approve Dictionary changes;
• The IALA Secretariat Web Master will do actual edits of Dictionary;
• Removed terms will be relocated into a category “Historical Terms” rather than deleted;
• The basic structure of the 1970-1989 Dictionary will be retained and adjusted as required.

TEMPLATE FOR DICTIONARY AMENDMENT PROPOSAL[edit]

The Dictionary Amendment Proposal Form will be used to propose any addition, amendment or removal of a term or acronym in the Dictionary. The Dictionary Amendment Proposal Form will be provided to all Committee meetings as a template.

DICTIONARY AMENDMENT REGISTER[edit]

The Dictionary Amendment Register will be used to maintain a record of additions, amendments or removals in the Dictionary.

DICTIONARY TERMS NUMBERING SYSTEM[edit]

A numbering system will be retained in the Dictionary to facilitate multiple language versions of definitions. A sequential five digit numbering system will be implemented for all terms in the Dictionary and the old numbers will be retained for reference. Numbering format will be New number, example 10030 Old number, example (previously 2-2-190)

“UNAPPROVED” TERMS[edit]

Terms in the original Dictionary 1970-1989 IALA Dictionary were approved. Terms added between 2009 and 2015 were not approved in any formal process. “Unapproved” Dictionary terms will be reviewed over a period of time using the DWG procedure for adding/ amending/ removing terms, while DWG priority will be given to proposals for addition/ amendment/ removal of terms from current Committee work as set out in input paper DWG3-3.1, IALA Dictionary Unapproved Terms Review 20160115