A quantitative study of vocabulary categorization and reuse in the LIS field linked data

Purpose Exploring diverse knowledge organization systems and metadata schemes in linked data, aiming to promote vocabulary usability and high-quality linked data creation within the LIS field. Design/methodology/approach We used content analysis to select 77 articles from 13 library and information science journals around our research theme. We identified four dimensions: vocabularies participation, reuse, functions, and naming variations in linked data. Findings The vocabulary comprises seven main categories and their corresponding 126 vocabularies, which participate in linked data in single, two, and multiple dimensions. These vocabularies are used in the eight LIS subfields. Reusing vocabularies has become integral to linked data publishing, with six categories and their corresponding 66 vocabularies being reused. Ontologies are the most engaged and widely reused category of vocabulary in linked data practice. The mutual support among the three major categories and seven subfunctions of vocabulary promotes the sustainable development of linked data. Under a combination of factors, the phenomenon of terminology name changes and cross-usage between “vocabulary” and “ontology.” Research limitations/implications This study has limitations. Although 77 articles on the topic of vocabularies applied in linked data were analyzed and presented with quantitative statistics and visualizations, the exploration of the topic tends to be a practical activity, with limited presence in scholarly articles. Moreover, this study’s analysis of the practical applications of linked data is relatively limited, and the sample literature focused on articles published in English, which may have affected the diversity and inclusiveness of the research sample. Practical implications Practically, this study does not confine the application of content analysis solely to the traditional exploration of knowledge organization topics, development trends, or course content. Instead, it integrates the dual perspectives of linked data and vocabularies, employing content analysis to analyze and objectively reveal the application issues of vocabularies in linked data. The conclusions can provide specific guidelines for future applications of vocabularies in the LIS subfields and contribute to promoting interoperability of vocabularies. Social implications This research explores the relationship between linked data and vocabularies, highlighting the diverse manifestations and challenges of vocabularies in linked data. It provides theoretical references for the construction and further development of vocabularies considering technologies such as linked data, drawing attention to the potential and existing issues associated with linked open data vocabularies. Originality/value This study extends the application of content analysis to exploring vocabularies, especially Knowledge Organization Systems and metadata schemes in the LIS field linked data, highlighting the mutually beneficial interactions between linked data and vocabularies. It provides guidance for future vocabularies applications in the LIS field and offers insights into vocabularies construction and the healthy development of linked data ecosystems in the era of information technology.