CHAPTER 2

Semantic Scenarios (Part I)

Introduction

Scenarios are designed to enrich and filter classifications according to an analysis strategy. With them, you can:

1. define your own personalized classifications,
2. modify or restructure the software’s dictionaries (Equivalent classes),
3. replace a thesaurus and personalize your information retrieval functions,
4. define an analysis grid for automatic generation of an analysis report, or statistics when indexing your documents (see Using a Scenario, in the Zoom manual).

Why is it necessary to use Scenarios when it is tempting simply to make modifications directly to the Tropes dictionaries? Because you need to use classifications adapted to your analysis objectives, and these depend on what you want to do with your texts. For example, it is perfectly correct to classify watermelons, cucumbers, melons, marrows and pumpkins in the cucurbit family, if you want to conduct botanical analyses. If it is the domain of foodstuffs that interests you, on the other hand, it would be more appropriate to class melons and watermelons as fruits, and cucumbers, marrows and pumpkins among the vegetables. In other contexts, you may wish to differentiate between large companies and SMEs, between toxic substances and medicines, or between political personalities and their opponents. Or indeed, between what interests you and what you consider of secondary importance.

It is essential to use a Scenario if a text is to be analyzed correctly. In most cases, you will need to rework classifications, correct any anomalies and personalize your analyses.

Furthermore, the dictionaries of Tropes are constantly evolving, and you can download new versions from the publisher's website. You then conserve your personalized Scenarios, even when you update your software. When you install a new version, analysis becomes more refined, and you have the benefit of new classifications, but you do not lose your work (which is preserved in your Scenarios).

Creating semantic Scenarios (or Semantic Networks)

To create a Scenario, use the [Tools][Scenario] command, or the [Open a Scenario] command that appears when clicking on the frame of the Result frame with the right button of the mouse.

A Scenario consists of a number of Semantic Groups, i.e. several combinations of substantives, lemmas and/or Equivalent class. Most combinations can be made by means of the mouse, either in the Scenario tool or interactively with Tropes’ main window.

The professional version of Tropes is supplied with several predefined Scenarios which correspond to different approaches to the classification of your documents:

• comprehensive (with Scenario Concepts US, which groups references under broad themes, similarly to a mass-market general thesaurus);
• detailed (with Scenario Concepts US detailed, which groups references under a larger number of themes, on the lines of an encyclopedia);
• highly specialized (with the other Scenarios, or those available on request).

When viewing an Equivalent class (or verbs/adjectives) on the Result frame, you can add it directly to the Scenario by dragging it with the mouse and dropping it on the Scenario window, or by using the pop-up menu that appears when clicking on the frame of the Result frame with the right button of the mouse.

Adding words or senses to the Scenario

All the parts of Tropes graphic user interface contain popup menus (right-click with the mouse) which allow to add or insert easily words or Equivalents classes of in the Scenario:

The [Add to the Scenario] command creates an entry having the same group name as the selected Equivalent class. The [Insert in the Scenario] command creates an entry by using the group name currently displayed in the Scenario. These functions are only accessible when the Scenario tool is opened. It is also possible to grab a word in Tropes [Text] frame and drag it onto the Scenario. Use the [Ctrl] and [Shift] keys to control the addition or the insertion during this operation.

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