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Argument Maps

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awknox-dstl edited this page Jan 5, 2022 · 9 revisions

Argument Maps created in an editor that supports GraphML can be transformed to AIF. A method for doing this is described here.

Notes

  1. The use of yEd as tool, and OVA-style argument maps as a representation, are arbitrary choices. The same general approach can apply to any XML representation of arguments where a mapping can be defined between glyphs in the argument map and the classes and properties of AIF. Notably, this includes SVG and XHTML.
  2. Other transformations of the argument map can be imagined. For example, graphml-to-skos.xsl generates a SKOS vocabulary from the I-nodes.
  3. It’s possible to go the other way, and generate GraphML from AIF. Generating a graph with no visualization or layout is simple, but manual effort is needed to style and layout the argument map once the GraphML is imported into yEd. There are likely to be options within yEd and associated tools to make this easy, but these have not yet been investigated.
  4. This is strictly a proof-of-concept exercise and does not imply that yEd should be used a tool for argumentation. It does imply, however, that GraphML can be used as format for documenting and exchanging example arguments between researchers; and for authorities to communicate argumentation requirements to suppliers. Further, this approach (or something like it) is required to effectively and unambiguously define and disseminate argument schemes between parties.
  5. Currently, this is an informal proof-of-concept. Suggestions for enhancement or modification are welcome.

AIF to GraphML

As per note 3 above - work in progress...

A first pass example is hypotheses.graphml, generated from the Hypotheses document in ARGA. The steps are as follows:

  1. Make GraphML. I've converted the document JSON to XML and XSL transformed the result to GraphML. It's a relatively simple transform, and this first pass is just to get the presentation right (URI's on node edges still to do).

  2. Map properties in yEd - Loading the GraphML into yEd gives a graph where all nodes are the default node icon, and they're piled on top of each other and unlabeled. To get an argument map we need to map data properties (claim text and AIF node type) to visual attributes on nodes. See AIF.cnfx for a saved properties mapper configuration. In yEd, select Edit/Properties Mapper ... from the main menu; then under Configurations, find the button that Imports additional configurations. Load, then select, the AIF configuration. This gives the icons a suitable colour and shape, and the labels appear. The next steps configure the layout.

  3. Edit label properties - To get the node labels inside the boxes, select all of them in the diagram, then right-click and select Properties...; select the Label tab, then set Configuration to "Cropping" and Size to "Fit Node Width".

  4. Layout - As desired.

More generically, there is now an aif-to-graphml transform in the master branch. This works with AIF exported from ARGA (but could do with more testing - and also trying AIF from other sources). The graph it generates needs to be styled and laid out exactly as in steps 2 to 4 above.

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