Attribute Types (Main / Derived / Minor)

Attribute Types (Main / Derived / Minor) classify attributes in a Topical Map, determining content structure and coverage priority. A Main Attribute defines the primary topic and corresponds to an H2 section in an article and is mandatory for coverage (e.g., 'definition of forced inheritance'). A Derived Attribute is a secondary attribute that extends the main one. It corresponds to an H3 section or separate supporting article (e.g., 'how to calculate forced inheritance from an apartment'). A Minor Attribute is a peripheral, contextual attribute that may be a footnote or separate long-tail article (e.g., 'forced inheritance in German law').

This classification aligns with the URR model where Main attributes are typically ROOT, Derived attributes can be either ROOT or RARE, while Minor attributes are almost always RARE. This hierarchy drives your publication strategy: Main first, Derived second, Minor last.

In practice, map Main → H2 sections in the SEED article, Derived → separate articles linked from SEED, Minor → add only when Main and Derived are covered.