Avaluation of decs indexing language in speech-language pathology and audiology area, in the user´s view: an observation study of the information retrieval with a verbal protocol

Abstract

The proposition of this study is to assess, by observing the user, the DeCS – Health Sciences. Descriptors indexing language, in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology area, utilized for the retrieval of information in the LILACS System - Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences -, produced by BIREME – Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Information Center, utilizing the verbal protocol technique, for the fact of the researchers of the area of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to need an information system that uses a indexing language that represents the values and the culture of this system where it is inserted. With this proposal, it is had for objective to contribute for the improvement of the indexing language DeCS, being aimed at better terminological representation in the area of the Brazilian Speech-Language Patholoy and Audiology as a determinative factor for the development of scientific research of quality. The used methodological approach was the qualitative-cognitive one, has been the technique verbal protocol applied in the researchers (subjects) of the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department at the Dental School – University of São Paulo – FOB-USP, at Bauru, SP, representing the four forming specialties in the area, i.e., Language, Audiology, Voice and Oral Motricity. The analysis of the transcriptions these protocols demonstrated that the methodology employed had good performance, as well as made possible a reflection on the declarations issued showing that the DeCS language, in Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology, led the searches to unsatisfactory results as to information retrieval from the following relevant aspects as insufficiency of generic and/or specific terms representative of the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology area; terms available in the language regarding the terminology found in the scientific literature of the area and adopted by specialists need to be updated; ranking of terms in subject categories not equivalent to their concepts; translation of various terms from the English language into the Portuguese language and from this into English which do not correspond to the equivalent used in the area of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, among others. It is concluded that becomes necessary the improvement of the DeCS indexing language in the field of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and therefore, it is recommended that the BIREME elaborate a specific category these area for the its effective terminological representation, with the utilized in the literature and the Brazilian scientific community.