The Knowledge Bank is an internet-based genre bank gathering and systematising research results within subjects such as genre analysis and textual linguistic. By using the Knowledge Bank as a work of reference, the user may work gradually through a given genre's structure, become familiar with the formal demands and see examples of typical wordings. The Knowledge Bank also provides answers to questions transcending genres and languages: the user may learn more about how technical language differs from ordinary everyday language and learn the difference between English and Danish language use within a given subject.
The Knowledge Bank is intended as a tool for effective and targeted text based communication within typical trade specific genres. As cooperation between language research and the business environment The Knowledge Bank strengthens the application oriented part of the language and communication research. Conversely, the tool professionalises communication in the companies: Companies gain easy access to forms that secure effective and correct handling of a subject, and they escape repeating research for the text based communication.
For the time being, we are working with a medical Knowledge Bank and medical genres such as patient information leaflets which are subject to quite restrictive demands, e.g. as a guarantee for the end users' safety. However, other subject areas may also profitably use the Knowledge Bank, e.g. legal documents and technical specifications will also typically be subject to a number of formal demands regarding wordings and language use.
Search the Knowledge Bank
By choosing Show in the menu, you are presented with the genres or subjects available in the Knowledge Bank. Once you have selected the desired subject, a tree structure appears in the left menu. By clicking a link in the tree structure you may see the content hiding behind the link.
Create a new subject
By using the menu Edit you may create new subjects in the Knowledge Bank. You build a tree structure for the new subject by creating items and sub-items and placing them in the subject's overall structure.
The content for the items is added by clicking the new item and choosing Edit content. This will open a small scale word processing tool making it possible to add text, pictures and graphic. Once you have created all the desired items and added content, you activate the subject, and it becomes visible among the other subjects on the search page.
The Knowledge Bank is still in the stage of development.
