Using a Pearl Harvested Synonym Ring for the Creation of a Digital Index on Giftedness

Abstract

This thesis examined the use of a pearl harvested synonym ring in the creation of a digital index on the subject of giftedness, with the goal of better defining the available information in the field and facilitating information retrieval. The pearl harvested synonym ring was used in the retrieval of citations relating to giftedness in the ERIC database. A content analysis of these citations provided the list of topics that would form the basis of a digital index. When the topics retrieved using the pearl harvested synonym ring were compared to the indices of two textbooks on gifted education, they were found to be more comprehensive and better representative of the field. The results of this study have potential implications in the improvement of digital indexing techniques, better understanding of academic fields of study, and creating a standard procedure for scoping reviews