Classification, Research

Taxonomy

• The process of classifying empirical entities (Bailey, 1994, p. 6)

• The result of a classification of empirical entities (Bailey, 1994, p. 6)

• The theoretical study of identification and classification, their bases, principles, procedures, rules (Simpson 1961 and Sneath and Sokal 1973 in Bailey, 1994, p. 6)

The basic difference, then, is that a typology is conceptual while a taxonomy is empirical.

The term taxonomy is more generally used in the biological sciences, while typology is used in the social sciences. Taxonomies are often (but not always) hierarchical (as in family, genus, species) and evolutionary.

• Bailey, 1994

• Classification (Dictionary Entry) Generic Term

• Conceptual Classification (Dictionary Entry) Near Antonym

• Full Typology Near Antonym

• Partial Typology (Dictionary Entry) Near Antonym

• Qualitative Classification (Dictionary Entry) Near Antonym

• Typology (Dictionary Entry) Related Term