Taxonomies in ILIAS

The taxonomy represents a hierarchical classification of content in ILIAS. So far, both local object-related taxonomies and a global taxonomy have been implemented in the ILIAS administration.

  • Glossaries can be structured in terms of content using taxonomies. Glossaries are traditionally organized like dictionaries and the terms they contain are sorted alphabetically. By using taxonomies, however, the terms can be grouped by topic. The taxonomy is displayed in a tree next to the glossary. 

The support of taxonomies is limited to categories, glossaries and question pools/test questions.


Settings

Activate taxonomies in categories

Taxonomies can be activated at category level by the object creators or administrators.

You want to activate taxonomies for a category.

Prerequisite: You have sufficient authorizations to edit the object settings.

  1. Create a category under Add new object > Category or open an already created category.
  2. ILIAS opens the category.
  3. Click on the Settings tab and scroll to the Additional functions section.
  4. Activate the Taxonomies checkbox.
  5. Click on the Save button.

Note: You have now activated a new tab called Metadata in which you can add taxonomies.

Create taxonomies in categories

You want to create a new taxonomy within a category: You have activated the taxonomies in the category.

  1. Open a category that has already been created and activated.
  2. Open the Metadata tab.
  3. Click on the Add taxonomy button.
  4. ILIAS opens a new creation form.
  5. Assign a title for the new taxonomy and optionally a description.
  6. Click on the Create taxonomy button.
  7. ILIAS reports "The taxonomy has been created" and takes you directly to the taxonomy settings.
  8. The title, description and sorting of the nodes (alphabetical, manual) can be configured within the settings.
  9. Click on the Save button.

You want to create a taxonomy node.

  1. Now open the Node tab.
  2. Click on the Create node button.
  3. ILIAS opens a new creation form.
  4. Assign a title for the new node. 
  5. Click on the Save button.
  6. ILIAS reports "Changes saved" and back to the overview page of the Node tab.

Note: The taxonomy settings and nodes you have created can now be viewed at category level in the Metadata tab. All taxonomies that have been defined for this object are listed in the Taxonomy definition sub-tab. The taxonomy view can be activated in the Taxonomy settings sub-tab. 

Create taxonomies in glossaries

You want to create a new taxonomy within a glossary.

  1. Create a new glossary under Add new object > Glossary or open an existing glossary.
  2. Open the Settings tab.
  3. Click on the Taxonomy sub-tab.
  4. Click on the Add taxonomy button.
  5. ILIAS opens a creation form in which you configure a title and optionally a description.
  6. Finally, click on the Create taxonomy button.
  7. ILIAS reports "The taxonomy has been created" and takes you directly to the taxonomy settings.
  8. The title, description and sorting of the nodes (alphabetical, manual) can be configured within the settings.
  9. Click on the Save button.

You want to create a taxonomy node:

  1. Now open the Node tab.
  2. Click on the Create node button.
  3. ILIAS opens a new creation form.
  4. Assign a title for the new node.
  5. Click on the Save button.
  6. ILIAS reports "Changes saved" and back to the overview page of the Node tab.

Note: The taxonomy settings and nodes you have created can now be viewed at object level in the Metadata tab. All taxonomies that have been defined for this object are listed in the Taxonomy definition sub-tab. The taxonomy view can be activated in the Taxonomy settings sub-tab. 

Edit taxonomies

Previously created taxonomy settings and nodes can be viewed at object level in the Metadata tab. 
You would like to revise an existing taxonomy.

  1. Open the Metadata tab in the desired object.
  2. ILIAS automatically opens the Taxonomy definition sub-tab.
  3. In the first column Title, search for the taxonomy you want to edit.
  4. Click on the Edit link in the Actions column to make subsequent corrections or Delete to remove the taxonomy.
  5. After opening the Edit link, you will be taken to the Node tab, where you can make the changes.
  6. After successful editing, click on the Save button.

Global viewing of taxonomies

As an administrator, you can view all existing taxonomies globally.

Under Administration > Search and find - Taxonomies you can go directly to the global taxonomy settings and view all created repository taxonomies.