Target coding examples

The following examples illustrate the target coding scheme that manual coders will be following. Note that three pieces of information are required: the literal target value, the target association and the target sector.

This page includes links to machine coding examples; manual coders may view the machine coding examples as background, but should focus on and follow the manual coding examples on this page only.

Serbian police increased pressure on anti-government activists, detaining at least seven people in two days for advertising rallies or circulating a petition for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to resign.

  1. Literal target value is "anti-government activists"

  2. Target association is blank (no information exists about the target's administrative unit)

  3. Target sector is Insurgent

South Korea on Friday reversed an order to slaughter 350,000 head of cattle within a 20-km (12-mile) radius of a farm where a livestock disease has infected 15 cows.

  1. There is no target in the main clause of this sentence

Russian forces shot and killed two Chechen separatist rebels and wounded a third, a United Nations spokesman said.

  1. Literal target value is "Chechen separatist rebels"

  2. Target association is Chechnya

  3. Target sector is Insurgent

The World Bank (target2)** and the International Monetary Fund (target1)** will hold their 1997 annual meeting in Hong Kong, shortly after the British colony returns to China.

  1. Literal target value for target1 is "International Monetary Fund"

  2. Target association for target1 is blank (no information exists about the target's administrative unit)

  3. Target sector for target1 is Government Agent

 

  1. Literal target value for target2 is "World Bank"

  2. Target association for target2 is blank (no information exists about the target's administrative unit)

  3. Target sector for target2 is Government Agent

**This sentence contains a compound reciprocal source/target. That is, the coder will be identifying 2 targets for this sentence [1. World Bank (source) discuss [with] International Monetary Fund (target) and 2. International Monetary Fund (source) discuss [with] World Bank (target)].

In addition, the event form for this coding is the linked event, Discussions to Discussions. Thus, this sentence produces a total of 4 events:

  1.  World Bank (source)discuss (event1 - capturing target1 of compound) International Monetary Fund (target1)

  2. International Monetary Fund (source) discuss (event2 - capturing target2 of compound)World Bank (target2)

  3. International Monetary Fund (target1)discuss (event3 - capturing linked event) World Bank (source)

  4. World Bank (target2) discuss (event4 - capturing reverse of linked event) International Monetary Fund (source)

Medellin-based paramilitaries kidnapped six Colombian lawmakers (target1)§ and otherpolitical candidates (target2)§ this week, fuelling fear of disruptions ahead of Sunday's nationwide elections for state and local offices, authorities said Wednesday.

  1. Literal value for target1 is "six Colombian lawmakers"

  2. Target association for target1 is Colombia

  3. Target sector for target1 is Officials

 

  1. Literal value for target2 is "political candidates"

  2. Target association for target2 is blank (no information exists about the target's administrative unit)

  3. Target sector for target2 is Candidates

§Coders should identify two targets ("six Colombian lawmakers" and "political candidates") because the sentence contains a compound target.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin (target2)†made an official visit to Singapore (target1)† last week.

  1. Literal value for target1 is "Singapore"

  2. Target association in event1 is Singapore

  3. Target sector in event1 is Government Agent

 

  1. Literal value for target2 is "Chinese President Jiang Zemin"

  2. Target association in event2 is China

  3. Target sector in event2 is National Executive

†This sentence codes to the linked event forms, Travel to meet [and] Host a meeting. Thus, the linkage generates a second event with the source and target reversed:

  1. Chinese President Jiang Zemin (source1) travel to meet (event1of linked event) Singapore (target1)

  2. Singapore (source2) host a meeting (event2 of linked event)Chinese President Jiang Zemin (target2)

Macedonian customs officers on Friday seized 1,500 cartons of cigarettes±being smuggled by two Kosovar Albanians on a bus at the Blace border crossing with Kosovo, state radio reported.

  1. Literal target value is "1,500 cartons of cigarettes"

  2. Target association is blank (no information exists about the target's administrative unit)

  3. Target sector is Tangible Things

±When coding the event Police Seizure, make certain the source of the interaction is a police agent and the target of the event is a place or thing. Should the target be a person, the event must be coded as Arrest and Detention.

The French Air Force sent 40 tonnes of urgent relief supplies on Thursday to Kosovo refugees‡, officials said.

  1. Literal target value is "Kosovo refugees"

  2. Target association is Kosovo

  3. Target sector is Ethnic Agent

‡Although the direct object, 40 tonnes of urgent relief supplies, is present, it is not the best target for the event form Extend Humanitarian Aid -- note that the event form itself suggests "what" is being extended. Therefore, the indirect object, expressing the "to whom," is the preferred target.