Continuous Ontology Assurance through External Resources -- An Ontology Engineering Method with a Case Study in Software Language Engineering

Ralf Lämmel

Domain ontologies require review against knowledge recorded in evolving external resources. We propose COATER, a method that manages executable review components called arrows. Each arrow compares a scoped part of an ontology with a relevant resource and reports support or challenges to its axioms. Challenges may prompt proposals for completion, correction, or restructuring and become tasks for human or agent-assisted triage. Per-axiom coverage summarizes the assessments. We illustrate COATER with the FSL ontology in software language engineering (SLE): arrows review language coverage, language conceptualization, and software-engineering activities. An LLM-assisted linkage exercise increases compliance with a defined Wikipedia-linkage policy from 405 to 600 of 600 entities. A structured catalogue of SLE resources organizes review opportunities.