The term “collection” is used in the text analytics industry to refer to a dataset of unstructured data, typically text documents. This dataset may be comprised of a variety of different file types, including emails, social media posts, articles, web pages, and more.
When used in the context of text analytics, collection is generally more specific than set or group, and refers to a dataset that has been specifically gathered for the purpose of text analytics. This dataset may be sourced from a variety of different places, including online databases, social media platforms, websites, and more. The data within a collection may be unstructured (such as text documents) or structured (such as tabular data).
There is some confusion about the term “collection” outside of the text analytics industry, as it can also refer to the act of gathering data, or a group of items (such as an art collection). In this article, we will focus on the text analytics definition of collection.
So what are some of the key characteristics of a collection?
First, it is important to note that a collection is typically unstructured. This means that the data is not organized in a predefined way – for example, there is no set schema that all documents must adhere to. This can make working with collections more challenging, as traditional data analysis methods may not be well-suited.
Second, collections are often quite large. This is due to the fact that they often contain a variety of different file types, and can include a large number of documents. For example, a single email thread can contain dozens of messages, and a social media platform may have billions of posts. As a result, working with collections often requires specialized tools and techniques.
Third, collections typically come from a variety of sources. This can make them quite diverse, and can add to the challenge of working with them. For example, a collection may contain data from social media, news articles, web pages, and more. Each of these sources may use different formats, conventions, and vocabularies – making it difficult to reconcile them.
Despite the challenges, working with collections can be extremely valuable. They often contain a wealth of information, and can be used to answer a variety of different questions. For example, collections have been used to study the spread of diseases, understand consumer behavior, track the development of new technologies, and much more.
If you’re interested in working with collections, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, make sure you have the right tools for the job. Second, be prepared to clean and organize your data. And finally, don’t be afraid to think outside the box – sometimes the best way to analyze a collection is to approach it from a completely different angle.