index.qmd

---
title: iSamples Vocabularies
subtitle: Vocabularies for interoperable sample description
listing:
  - id: vocabulary-listing
    contents: "generated/vocabularies"
    page-size: 33
    sort-ui: false
    filter-ui: false
    sort: "title asc"
    fields: [title, subtitle]
    type: table
  - id: extension-listing
    contents: "generated/extensions"
    page-size: 33
    sort-ui: false
    filter-ui: false
    sort: "title asc"
    fields: [title, subtitle]
    type: table
number-sections: false
---

see [description of model](https://isamplesorg.github.io/metadata/) at https://isamplesorg.github.io/metadata/

## Taxonomies

One of the foundations for interoperability of iSamples material sample descriptions is the definition of vocabularies for the categorization of sample type. There are three core vocabularies for different aspects of sample type: material sample type, material type, and sampled feature type.  Each vocabulary is maintained as an RDF file using the SKOS vocabulary, with hierarchical relationships using [`SKOS:broader`](https://www.w3.org/2009/08/skos-reference/skos.html#broader). In order to be domain agnostic, these core taxonomies cover a small set of top level terms. The taxonomies may be extended as necessary to support more specialized domains by relating additional terms using `SKOS:broader` and `SKOS:narrower`.

The iSamples core taxonomies are controlled vocabularies with terms related by [`SKOS:broader`](https://www.w3.org/2009/08/skos-reference/skos.html#broader) and [`SKOS:narrower`](https://www.w3.org/2009/08/skos-reference/skos.html#narrower). In order to be domain agnostic, the core taxonomies cover a small set of top level terms. The taxonomies may be extended as necessary to support more specialized domains by relating additional terms using `SKOS:broader` and `SKOS:narrower`.

The iSamples taxonomies are used to characterize three fundamental concepts pertaining to physical samples:

1. The "iSamples Materials vocabulary" is a taxonomy of terms used to categorize the composition of a physical sample, that is "What material is the sample composed of?"
2. The "Sampled Feature Type Vocabulary" is a taxonomy of terms used to indicate what the sample is representative of.
3. The "iSamples Specimen Type Vocabulary" is a taxonomy of broad categories that classify what type of spcimen the physical sample record represents.

Three taxonomies are currently defined :

[Material Sample (specimen) Type Vocabulary](generated/vocabularies/material_sample_object_type.html)

[Materials Vocabulary](generated/vocabularies/material_type.html)

[Sampled Feature (context) Type vocabulary](generated/vocabularies/sampled_feature_type.html)