# document

> form for preservation of structured and identified information

**Wikidata**: [Q49848](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q49848)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Document)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/document

## Summary
A **document** is a form used for the preservation of structured and identified information. It functions as a fundamental information resource, typically resulting from the act of writing, and is composed of specific elements including document-type information, communications media, and headings. The entity is studied within the field of library science and serves as a primary object of record across various cultural, legal, and archival contexts.

## Key Facts
*   **Definition:** A form for the preservation of structured and identified information.
*   **Classification:** Subclass of **information resource**; distinct from a **record**.
*   **Origin:** Has cause **writing**.
*   **Composition:** Has parts **document-type information**, **communications media**, and **heading**.
*   **Unicode Character:** Represented by 🗎.
*   **Field of Study:** Studied by **library science**.
*   **Dewey Decimal Classification:** 025.1714.
*   **Wikidata Properties:** Main properties include P1574 and P5323; properties for this type include P2679 (author), P2680 (editor), and P1104 (number of pages).
*   **Encyclopedia Britannica ID:** topic/document.
*   **GND ID:** 4180009-6 (Schriftstück).
*   **UNESCO Thesaurus ID:** concept502.
*   **Visual Representation:** Preferred image is the Sales contract Shuruppak (Louvre AO3766); other images include folder icons and book photos.

## FAQs
**What are the main components of a document?**
A document consists of document-type information, communications media, and a heading. These parts distinguish it as a structured form of information rather than unstructured data.

**How is a document classified in library and information science?**
It is classified as a subclass of "information resource" and is distinct from the entity "record." It falls under Dewey Decimal Classification 025.1714 and is a core subject studied in library science.

**What databases and thesauri recognize "document" as a standard concept?**
The term is indexed in major knowledge bases including the Art & Architecture Thesaurus (300026030), the UNESCO Thesaurus (concept502), EuroVoc (486), BabelNet (00028017n), and the Great Russian Encyclopedia.

**How is the concept represented digitally?**
In digital ontologies, it is defined as an equivalent class to `http://pcp-on-web.de/ontology#Document` and `https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Document`. It also has a dedicated Unicode character: 🗎.

**What are the global aliases for a document?**
The entity is known by many names across languages, including *doc*, *record*, *Schriftstück* (German), *documentos* (Spanish), *pièce d'archives* (French), *dokumenty* (Czech), *文献* (Chinese), and *مستند* (Arabic).

## Why It Matters
The concept of a document is central to the organization of human knowledge and cultural heritage. As the primary vessel for **structured and identified information**, it bridges the gap between abstract data and preserved history. Its significance is evidenced by its ubiquity in global classification systems—from the **Dewey Decimal System** to the **Library of Congress** and the **Great Russian Encyclopedia**. The entity's recognition across distinct ontologies (like PCP-On-Web and W3C Activity Streams) and its study within **library science** highlight its critical role in both physical archiving and digital data structuring. By defining the "type of document" as a characteristic, it allows for the systematic categorization of human communication, legal agreements (such as the ancient Sales contract Shuruppak), and media.

## Notable For
*   **Structural Definition:** Explicitly defined by its parts (heading, media, info), distinguishing it from generic information.
*   **Global Academic Recognition:** Indexed in the Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition), Treccani, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art Tagging Vocabulary.
*   **Ontological Presence:** Mapped as an equivalent class in W3C Activity Streams and PCP-On-Web ontologies.
*   **Wikipedia Ubiquity:** Has a "topic's main category" (Category:Documents) and exists in over 80 language versions of Wikipedia, including unique codes like `simple`, `ckb` (Sorani), and `zh_min_nan`.
*   **Archival History:** Associated with ancient artifacts like the **Sales contract Shuruppak** (Louvre AO3766), indicating its historical depth.

## Body

### Definition and Structure
A **document** is fundamentally a "form for preservation of structured and identified information." It is an **information resource** that arises from the act of **writing**. It is structurally composed of three specific elements: **document-type information**, **communications media**, and a **heading**. While often used interchangeably with general records, the knowledge base distinguishes it as **different from** a "document" (in a specific ontological sense) and a "record."

### Information Science and Classification
The document is a core subject of study in **library science**. It is formally classified under the **Dewey Decimal Classification** system as **025.1714**. The **Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms** identifies it as **gf2014026163** ("Records (Documents)"), and the **Art & Architecture Thesaurus** lists it as **300026030** ("documents (object genre)").

Its characteristics include the **type of document**, and it utilizes specific Wikidata properties for metadata, including **P2679** (author), **P2680** (editor), and **P1104** (number of pages). The main Wikidata properties associated with it are **P1574** and **P5323**.

### Global Authority Control and Identifiers
The entity is universally recognized across international library systems and encyclopedias:
*   **Europe:** **GND ID** 4180009-6 (Schriftstück); **BnF ID** 584 (Documenti); **National Library of Spain** XX4576242 (Documentos); **National Library of Latvia** 000264528.
*   **Russia/Cyrillic:** **Great Russian Encyclopedia Portal** ID dokument-e40e5d; **GBK** (Russian) ID ph114337 (dokumenty); abbreviation "док." listed in GOST Р 7.0.12—2011.
*   **Asia:** **Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition)** ID 92099; **Zhihu Topic** ID 19554801 (文献); **WikiKids** ID Document.
*   **Thesauri:** **UNESCO Thesaurus** ID concept502; **EuroVoc** ID 486; **ODLIS** ID d.aspx#document.

It is also indexed in discontinued databases like **Microsoft Academic** (2909022874) and **Freebase** (/m/015bv3).

### Digital and Semantic Web Presence
In the semantic web, a document is defined as an **equivalent class** to `http://pcp-on-web.de/ontology#Document` and `https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Document`. It has a significant digital footprint with a dedicated **Unicode character** (🗹 - *Note: text says 🗎*), **IMDb Keyword** "document", and **Fandom Article IDs** for Memory Alpha (English) and Apocalypse (Russian).

The entity is described by the **Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary** (both Big and Small editions) and the **Metropolitan Museum of Art Tagging Vocabulary** (Documents).

### Linguistic Reach
The concept has extensive global coverage, with Wikipedia entries in **87** sitelinks and languages including major languages (English, Chinese, Spanish, French) and minority/regional languages (Asturian, Bashkir, Breton, Sorani, Sundanese, and Min Nan). Aliases include **escrito**, **escritos** (Spanish/Portuguese), **Schriftstück**, **Dokumente** (German), **書類**, **文稿**, **文书** (Japanese/Chinese), **pièce d'archives** (French), and **مستند** (Arabic).

## References

1. [Source](https://lingualibre.org/wiki/Q678326)
2. Nuovo soggettario
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Nuovo soggettario](https://thes.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/termine.php?id=584)
5. [Registros de autoridad de "Materia" de la Biblioteca Nacional de España. Spain open data portal](https://www.bne.es/media/datosgob/catalogo-autoridades/materia/materia-UTF8.zip)
6. Art & Architecture Thesaurus
7. BabelNet
8. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
9. KBpedia