fagfeltSom

FagfeltSom is a concept used in information organization and curriculum design to express a relationship between a field of study (fagfelt) and a defining contextual element (som). It is not a fixed standard, but appears in certain metadata schemes and planning documents to label how subfields relate to broader disciplines or contexts.

Etymology and concept. The term combines the Norwegian words fagfelt (field of study) and som (that/which). In practice, FagfeltSom acts as a named relation or tag that connects a subject area to a qualifying context, scope, or application. It is typically used in knowledge graphs, library catalogs, and course catalogs to improve clarity and retrieval by making explicit the subfield or aspect that characterizes the subject.

Data modeling and structure. In a data model, FagfeltSom is represented as a binary relation from a node representing a fagfelt to a node representing a contextual or qualifying element. This enables queries such as “list all fagfeltSom for Biologi” or “retrieve subfields of Informatikk.” The exact semantics may vary between schemas, but the aim is consistent: to make explicit how a field is defined or scoped.

Examples. Biologi with FagfeltSom: Genetikk; Informatikk with FagfeltSom: Kunstig intelligens; Filosofi with FagfeltSom: Etikk. Such pairings help users navigate from broad disciplines to their specific subfields or cross-cutting contexts.

Applications and importance. FagfeltSom supports clearer indexing, improved search accuracy, and more precise curriculum design by codifying how disciplines relate to subfields and applications. It is most effective when used with controlled vocabularies and consistent labeling across a repository.

Limitations. The concept relies on language-specific structure and can introduce ambiguity without standardized definitions. Its usefulness depends on clear governance of the related nodes and terms. See also knowledge organization, metadata schemas, and ontologies.