The Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM) in LinguaLinks

The term "OCM" is used in LinguaLinks to refer to the Outline of Cultural Materials and an additional set of top-level categories called FRAME.

The two lists together comprise the "FRAME and OCM authority list in the Anthropology Workshop in LinguaLinks Workshops. The list provides a system for categorizing, sorting, and retrieving language data and culture field notes.

The following tools use the FRAME and OCM categories:

• Themes for sociocultural exploration (Language Learning workshop)
• Lexical database (Linguistics workshop)
• Shoebox Anthropology project template

The OCM may appear unwieldy and difficult to navigate (FRAME was added to help). Some contemporary researchers do not like it and may question the choice of it as a categorization tool in LinguaLinks. However, it also has its supporters. H. Russell Bernard, a well-known specialist in anthropological research methods and the author of the most widely-used text on the subject, makes this comment:

"The OCM is not the only coding scheme you can use, and it appears to have fallen out of favor in recent years, but it has been used by many illustrious anthropologists in the past and I still recommend it. ... [It] is thorough and flexible and can be applied (with some adaptation) to almost any project. ... Don't be put off by the lengthiness of the OCM coding list. That's its strength. You'll only use a fraction of the codes on any given project, and once you start using it in the field, you'll quickly find yourself building supplemental coding schemes to fit your particular needs."

• Fact module: The Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM) in LinguaL...
• In modular book: Using the Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM), by Elinor Abbot
• In bookshelf: Anthropology

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 3.5, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 19 March 1999

© 1999 SIL International