Glossary of research data management terms

Administrative metadata
Administrative Metadata
Administrative metadata is a category of metadata that includes information on data provenance, ownership, access rights, usage restrictions and version control. This metadata often includes technical information such as file sizes, creation and modification dates, software requirements and storage locations. Sometimes referred to as meta-metadata
Anonymised Data
Anonymised Data
Information that does not allow a person to be identified, to be distinguished from a set of data. A person’s real identity, such as name, surname, place of work, is expressed by a code – a made-up word or symbol. Anonymised data is irretrievable, i.e. the information about the pseudonymisation and encryption of a person is no longer accessible to anyone, it is deleted. Pseudonymisation or anonymisation is mandatory in research involving personal data, personal opinions or other sensitive information
Descriptive metadata
Descriptive Metadata
Metadata describing the content of the data, such as title, author or subject
Reference
Citation
Reference to the specific paper, dataset or source used in the study
Open-source Documentation
Open-source Documentation
Publicly available documents describing the use, design and development of open source software
Open Access, also Open Access, Open Access
Open Access
Open Science Initiative to promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge in society, especially in education and academia. Open Access is a form of access to scholarly publications that supports free access to electronic resources – full-text scholarly information – subject to permitted conditions of use: search, read, download, cite, copy, distribute, transmit as data, or otherwise use without violating copyright
Open Source Software
Open Source Software
Software whose source code is openly used by its creators and users. The advantage of such software is that its developers and users can develop and adapt the software to specific tasks during development. An example of open source software is the Linux operating system
Open Science
Open Science
A way of making scientific activity publicly available, with the aim of making the latest scientific research publicly accessible to both the academic community and society at large. Open science is characterised by the unrestricted or minimally restricted open access dissemination of up-to-date research data, publications, research notes, oral reports, etc., and the involvement of the public in the scientific research process in a variety of ways to promote amateur science. This is done through various activities: open access scholarly publishing to make publications and data freely available online to all, free of charge; encouraging scientists to make scientific records open access; promoting open access ideas
Open Access Repository
Open Access Repository
Open Access Resource – a large data repository, an online site with free access to electronically archived and deposited full-text scientific information and the possibility for users to handle it under open access terms of use
Open Data
Open Data
Online information characterised by legally and technologically free access, machine-readable format with freely available applications and unrestricted use. Open data can be freely downloaded and processed, shared and distributed by anyone. Open data can also be extended to information published by institutions, such as public registers and public parts of national information systems, studies, statistics, etc.
Copyright
Copyright
A type of exclusive right, the subject of which is the author and/or the commissioner of a work of science, literature or art, the object of which is the work of the author. Copyright extends to all aspects and uses of the work. Copyright is a human right and a property right; it determines what acts copyright owners must protect against. Copyright is protected and regulated by the Copyright Act
Source
Source
A resource from which something is derived, e.g. an initiative, information, material benefit. In research, the primary source of data is a survey, interview, experiment, documents, etc., while the secondary source of data is literature, statistical databases, etc. In historical research, sources are specifically classified, e.g. written, in-kind, oral, audiovisual historical evidence
Biological Data
Biological Data
Data relating to living organisms, such as genetic, physiological or biological information
Creative Commons
Creative Commons
A licensing system that allows the author to determine how others can use his work
Data
Facts, Data
1. information about a phenomenon, e.g. a being, an object, that helps to distinguish it, to identify it among other similar phenomena 2. information that describes a phenomenon, e.g. a being, a process, a state, by providing descriptive details about the phenomenon. Data can be expressed numerically, i.e. quantitatively, and textually, i.e. descriptively. In education, data are used to describe, for example, the types, number and geographical distribution of educational institutions, the educational level of teachers, pupil/student performance, education funding, etc. The analysis of education data allows the quality of education to be assessed and conclusions to be drawn, good practices and gaps to be identified. Educators, education managers and education policy-makers can use data to make decisions on the organisation of education, methods and optimal use of resources, to plan future actions, and to develop problem-solving concepts. 3. information obtained through data collection methods appropriate to the methodology of the discipline, such as surveys, interviews, document analysis
File
File
A structured digital item of information stored on a storage medium or computer and given a name. It may contain different types of data such as text, images, sound, software code or other digital records and is also usually identified by file format or extension (e.g. .txt, .csv, .jpg)
File format
File Format
Specific data structure or encoding type in which the information is stored (e.g. CSV, PDF, JSON)
Dataset Owner
Data Owner
The person or organisation who has the right to decide on the use, access and transfer of the data
Dataset Manager
Data Manager
Responsible person or role for ensuring data quality, integrity, documentation and regulatory compliance
Data analysis
Data Analysis
The process of systematically collecting, examining, transforming and interpreting data according to a set of rules in order to obtain new and useful information, identify patterns, draw conclusions or support decision-making
Data analysis methods
Data Analysis Methods
A set of systematic techniques and activities to systematically collect and process the data generated by a study in a way that is relevant to the purpose of the study: data are evaluated, compared, grouped, visualised and interpreted. Data analysis uses analogue and digital tools such as SPSS for quantitative data analysis or MAXQDA for qualitative data analysis. Data analysis methods may be closely related to data mining methods such as contingency analysis, hermeneutics, the Delphi method
Data Anonymisation
Data Anonymisation
Data anonymisation is the process of processing personal data so that they can no longer be directly or indirectly identified to an individual. It involves removing or modifying identifiers, ensuring the protection of personal privacy and compliance with data protection laws and regulations
Data Archiving
Data Archiving
In research data management, data archiving is the practice of identifying research data that is no longer active and moving it to long-term storage. This means activities that ensure that records, objects, metadata and research data are properly selected and preserved so that they can be accessed and their logical and physical integrity, security and authenticity are maintained over time
Data Reuse
Data Reuse
Using existing research data for new studies or other analytical purposes that may differ from the original purpose of the data collection. It promotes open science, efficient use of resources and the generation of new knowledge
Data Deposition
Data Deposition
Data deposit is the process by which research data is placed and structured in a repository to ensure its preservation, accessibility and reusability over time.
Data Security/Protection
Data Security/Protection
A set of measures to protect data against unauthorised access, alteration, loss or disclosure
Data Backup
Data Backup
Making a copy of data stored on a computer or server, reducing the potential impact of failure or loss
Data format
Data Format
The structure in which data is encoded and stored. It defines how data is stored and how it can be processed, e.g. text files (.txt), images (.jpg), or data tables (.csv). The choice of format should ensure compatibility and future availability of the data
Data Collection Methods
Data Collection Methods
A set of systematic techniques and activities for obtaining information and recording data in accordance with the theory, methodology and purpose of the research. Data extraction methods include quantitative and qualitative research methods, primary and secondary data extraction methods. Data collection methods include, for example, survey, observation, experiment, etc. Data extraction shall respect the protection of personal data, ethical standards and academic integrity
Data Extraction and Processing Tool
Data Extraction and Processing Tool
A tool for capturing, selecting, structuring quantitative and qualitative data, helping to reveal relationships, trends, etc. The tool helps to implement data mining and analysis techniques. Data extraction and processing tools can be analogue, such as a questionnaire, protocol, test, or digital, such as a computer program
Data Collection Strategy
Data Collection Strategy
The plan or method by which data will be obtained for a particular study
Data Set
Data Set
Observation and measurement data collected during the scientific study. A combination of physical records in a data environment that has its own identifier and corresponds to one of the following types of organisation: data processing system, data hosting, storage and access
Data Sharing
Data Sharing
Providing access to data to other users through a specific platform or tool, often directly (e.g. by sending a link or file)
Data Sharing
Data Sharing
Sharing data with other users or institutions in a coherent, structured or reusable way, often with rules and access controls
Data Curator
Data Curator Data Steward
The person responsible for ensuring data quality, availability, security and compliance in an organisation or study. His or her main task is to take care of the management of data throughout its life cycle, from acquisition and processing to storage and use. The Data Curator ensures that data are accurate, complete and accessible to the users who need them, while respecting relevant legal and ethical requirements. In addition, he/she is responsible for data documentation, metadata management and compliance with standards related to data quality and access
Data Users
Data Users
Researchers or other persons using the data for analysis, comparisons or re-research
Data Minimisation
Data Minimisation
Applying the principle of collecting only the data necessary for a specific purpose, reducing redundant or sensitive information
Data Management
Data Management
Research data management is a structured process that includes research design, data collection, documentation, processing, storage, sharing and long-term preservation throughout the research cycle, ensuring data quality, reusability and compliance with ethical and legal requirements
Data Management Plan DPP
Data Management Plan DMP
A document describing how research data will be managed – collected, stored, protected and shared. The DPP includes information on data formats, version control, security and submission to the repository, as well as the necessary tools for reuse
Data Managers
Data Managers
Persons responsible for storing, structuring, documenting and accessing data in accordance with regulations and best practice principles
Data Availability Statement
Data Availability Statement
A statement in a scientific publication indicating whether and where the research data are available
Data Pseudonymisation
Data Pseudonymisation
Data pseudonymisation is a method of processing personal data in which identifying information is replaced by artificial identifiers (such as code numbers), so that the person’s identity is no longer directly identifiable without further information. Pseudonymised data are still considered as personal data, as it is theoretically possible to reconstruct the identity if the separately stored information (e.g. a key or a table of identifiers) is available. Unlike anonymisation, which is irreversible, pseudonymisation is reversible if appropriate data or tools are available
Data Publishing
Data Publishing
Data publishing is the process by which research data are produced, described and made available to other users, following certain standards of quality, documentation and access, for example by publishing them in a data repository
Data Encryption
Data Encryption
The process of processing data by the data originator to secure the data content against unauthorised use. Encryption is a technical process that converts data into an unreadable format to protect its confidentiality and prevent unauthorised access. Encrypted data can only be read and processed by users after it has been decrypted. The decryption key is secret and must therefore be protected against unauthorised access
Data Validation
Data Validation
A check of the degree to which data stored in computer memory or in documents conforms to the actual state of the objects to be represented, which ensures that the data to be checked conforms to the specified specifications and excludes the use of unintended characters and data types or deviations from specified field lengths. It is the process of ensuring that data are accurate, complete and reliable before they are used in analysis
Data Dictionary
Data Dictionary
A structured set of metadata describing data elements, their meaning, data types and possible values
Data visualisation
Data Visualisation
A concise, structured representation of information using a graphical representation, i.e. a picture with clearly identifiable elements such as a map, diagram, chart, table, etc. The purpose of data visualisation is to systematise data, facilitate data perception and analysis
Data Visualisation Tool
Data Visualisation Tool
Software that creates a graphical representation of data. Data visualisation tools help you to create and process graphical representations, such as charts, or to develop interactive data visualisation
Digitisation
Digitisation
The process of converting physical or analogue information into digital format
Digital Archive
Digital Archive
A repository for digitally stored data or documents that provides long-term preservation and access
Digital Object Identifier DOI
Digital Object Identifier DOI
A unique and immutable identifier that guarantees that a digital object will be permanently available on the internet, regardless of URL changes. The central registry system ensures that the DOI will direct the user to the current location of the object, preserving access to it in the long term
Data Managemen plan DMP Platforms
Data Managemen plan DMP Platforms
Digital Data Management Plan (DMP) tools that help researchers structure, describe and organise data management throughout the project lifecycle
Dual Use / Dual Usability
Dual Use
Technologies or resources and related data that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, including the suppression of human rights or terrorist attacks
Embargo periods
Embargo Period
Period of time during which data is not made public, often until the publication or project is completed
FAIR Data Principles
AIR Data Principles
Guidelines for the creation and management of research data; these guidelines are defined to promote the maximum use of research data; FAIR data are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable
Restricted Access Data
Restricted Access Data
An access regime that allows data to be used on a restricted basis, e.g. only for certain groups of users, or after a certain time limit, or under other specific conditions
Input
Input Data
A set of data used as input for analysis, models or calculations
Informed Consent
Informed Consent
An explicit declaration of willingness to volunteer to participate in the study. Informed consent is primarily given in writing and is an acknowledgement that the research participant has been informed of the purpose of the research, his/her role in the research and the protection of personal data, the possibility to withdraw from the research, and the risks and benefits
Institutional Repository
Institutional Repository
Open Access repository for an institution or group of institutions to store publications such as e-editions, technical reports, master theses and dissertations, datasets and teaching materials
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property
Created intangible assets, such as inventions, works or brands, which are subject to proprietary rights
IT Infrastructure
IT Infrastructure
A set of technology systems (hardware, software, networks) that manage and access data
Provenance Metadata
Provenance Metadata
Metadata documenting the history of data creation and processing
Outliers
Outliers
Observations or data values that are significantly different from the others and may affect the results of the analysis
Ownership
Ownership Rights
Legal control over data, including the right to determine who may use it and for what purpose
Jēldati
Raw Data
Original, raw data obtained directly from observations, measurements, sensors or other data sources before transformation, cleaning or analysis. They often also contain errors, missing records or redundant information
Legal or rights metadata
Rights Metadata
Metadata providing information on copyright, licences and conditions of use
Camel letters
CamelCase
A spelling style where multiple words are formed without spaces, each word starting with a capital letter (e.g. MyVariableName)
Coding
Coding
Transformation of data into symbolic or encrypted form, e.g. for qualitative analysis or data protection
Codebook
Codebook
A document describing a data coding system to help analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data. It describes the variables, including their coded name, full name, data type and measurement scale, codes used and their transcripts, measurement range, units of measurement, etc.
Code Table
Code Table
A structured document describing the variables, their meanings and coding systems in a dataset
Confidential Data
Confidential Data
Information the disclosure of which could harm individuals, organisations or processes and is therefore restricted
Controlled Vocabulary
Controlled Vocabulary
A predefined, standardised list of terms or words used to provide a uniform and consistent description, classification or retrieval of information. Such a dictionary helps to eliminate confusion caused by synonymy, spelling and linguistic diversity
Qualitative research methods
Qualitative Research Methods
A set of systematic techniques for obtaining, processing and analysing data in qualitative research to understand and interpret the nature of a phenomenon. Qualitative data collection methods include interview, focus group interview, observation, etc., as well as various types of text and image analysis. Qualitative data analysis uses data exploration, coding, categorisation and comparison, such as contingency analysis, discourse analysis, hermeneutics
Qualitative data
Qualitative Data
Data describing quality, meaning or experience are often obtained through interviews, observations or open-ended questions
Quantitative data
Quantitative Data
Data expressed in numbers and analysed using statistical methods, such as survey results or measurement data. Quantitative data may be counted, measured or assigned a numerical value
Good Research Practice
Good Research Practice
Guiding principles and standards of conduct that ensure scientific quality, transparency, ethics and integrity in research
Licence
A document or set of conditions that specifies how other persons are allowed to use data, software or other content
Big Data
Big Data
A massive collection of structured or unstructured information, characterised by its variety, speed of acquisition and retrieval, from different sources in an electronic environment, such as real-time data acquired over the internet: social network content, emails, mobile app data, etc. Big data is collected, stored and analysed using specific software
Machine-readability/Machine-readable
Machine-readability/Machine-readable
Machine-readability is the property of data, documents or files that allows them to be read, processed and interpreted by computer software without additional manual intervention. Machine-readable refers to a format or information structure that can be automatically read and understood by a computer, such as structured data in CSV, JSON, XML, etc.
Cloud services
Cloud Services
Internet-based IT resources, such as data storage or processing, accessible via a remote infrastructure
Metadata
Metadata
Data. These provide additional information to help describe, organise and understand the underlying data. Metadata include, for example, the author of the data, the date of creation, the data format, associated keywords or version information. Metadata makes data more searchable, accessible and reusable
Metadata schema
Metadata Schema
A set of rules that define how metadata is organised and structured to ensure its uniformity and understandability. The set of metadata elements, their order of completion and the conditions under which they are to be filled in constitute the metadata schema. If the schema has been developed by experts or institutions, these guidelines may become the metadata standard
Metadata Standard
Metadata Standard
A recognised framework for metadata creation that ensures compatibility between datasets and information systems
Data Protection Impact Assessment – NIDA
Data Protection Impact Assessment – DPIA
A process that assesses the risks that may affect an individual’s privacy when personal data are processed. Where the processing poses a high risk to privacy, a NIDA must be carried out in accordance with Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation in order to identify the risks and determine measures to mitigate them
Ontology
Ontology
A formal knowledge representation structure that describes concepts (or classes), their properties and their relationships in a domain. It allows computers and humans to interpret data in a common way, providing a shared understanding of terminology and its usage
Open Data Commons
Open Data Commons
Organisation developing open data licensing models
Transparency
Transparency
Openness of information, allowing assessment of data sources, the analysis process and the validity of the research
Personal Data
Personal Data
Any information relating to an identified or identifiable living natural person. Personal data includes information by which a specific person can be identified, for example, personal data such as name, personal identification number, genetic and biometric data
Sustainability of Research Data
Sustainability of Research Data
A set of processes and measures to ensure the long-term availability, preservation, reusability and understandability of research data. This includes structured data storage, metadata appending, documentation, and appropriate technological and institutional support to ensure that data do not lose their scientific value in the future
Research Participant
Research Participant
An individual who agrees to participate and is recruited into a study according to certain selection criteria in order to provide data for the study. The participant is informed about the purpose of the study, the methods of data collection and analysis, the protection of personal data and the dissemination of results
Research Methodology
Research Methodology
A systematic organisation of a study in terms of a particular discipline or field of science, or in terms of interdisciplinarity, according to the categories of the study – object, subject, aim and/or question, hypothesis, objectives. The research methodology includes the theoretical concept and the research methodology. The methodology reveals the logic and validity of the research design, the structure of the research
Research Plan or Protocol
Research Plan or Protocol
A detailed description of how the specific study will be carried out, including objectives, methodology, data collection and analysis procedures
Research Ethics Committee
Research Ethics Committee
An independent body to assess the ethics of the research; it protects the interests of research participants and the public, mitigates concerns about researcher conflicts of interest, ensures researcher accountability and transparency of the research process
Research Project
Research Project
Organised research with a specific aim, methodology, timetable and often funding
Research Data
Research Data
Information collected, generated, processed or analysed as part of a research project, which provides the basis for scientific conclusions. Research data can potentially be combined and re-used both within and outside scientific practice
Research Data Repository
Research Data Repository
A structured system (website or platform) for the storage, metadata appending, access, reuse and long-term preservation of research data, according to defined standards and access conditions
Research Life Cycle
Research Life Cycle
A process that involves all the steps from the initial ideas of a study to the publication of the results and the long-term preservation of the data. It typically includes the following phases: study design – setting the objectives, formulating the questions and choosing the methodology; data collection – conducting experiments, obtaining and recording data; data analysis – processing, analysing and interpreting the data; publication – sharing the results with the scientific community and the public; data preservation – archiving and providing long-term access to the data; data re-use – other researchers accessing and using the data in their own research
Research Ethics
Research Ethics
A set of rules on the application of ethical standards to research activities and the dissemination of research. Research ethics are about protecting the privacy, dignity and rights of individuals involved in research, using research for the common good, not harming society and the environment, maintaining academic integrity, etc.
Research Institution
Research Institution
An organisation carrying out or supporting scientific research
Research Integrity
Research Integrity
A set of ethical principles and professional standards that guide the responsible and honest conduct of scientific work. It includes honesty, accuracy, transparency and accountability at all stages of the research process
Persistent Identifier – PID
Persistent Identifier – PID
A unique and immutable identifier assigned to a digital object (e.g. research data, publication), author, organisation, etc., to ensure its sustainable identification, retrieval and referability regardless of changes in its physical location or environment
Access
Access
The continued availability and continued usability of the digital resource, preserving all the characteristics of authenticity, accuracy and functionality considered essential for the purposes for which the digital material was created and/or acquired. Access users can retrieve, understand, manipulate and preserve copies
Access Control
Access Control
Technological or administrative mechanisms governing who can access data or systems and under what circumstances
Accessibility
Accessibility
Users’ ability to access or retrieve data when they find it. This includes cases where access to data is restricted, for example where user requests need to be authenticated and authorised
Pilot Study
Pilot Study
A study that aims to test a theoretically designed study in practice on a smaller scale and/or within a shorter timeframe, e.g. by collecting data in a narrower sample set, not using all the methods planned for the study, etc. A pilot study helps to identify potential methodological problems and to refine a future full-scale study
Source Code Licences
Source Code Licences
Rules governing the use, sharing, modification and distribution of software source code
Source Code
Source Code
Human-readable software text written in a programming language that describes how the software works. It is written by programmers and then compiled or interpreted so that a computer can execute it
Primary data
Primary Data
Data that the researcher or research team obtains directly from the sample population of the study and that have not been previously analysed and interpreted. For example, data obtained from a survey, experiment, observation, documents, etc. are primary data
Privacy/ Confidentiality
Privacy/ Confidentiality
Protection of personal data and sensitive information against unauthorised access and disclosure
Pseudonymised data, also pseudonymisation
Pseudonymisation of data
Encrypted information about a data source, such as a person or an organisation, with the purpose of hiding their true identity, such as name, title, workplace, etc. A pseudonym or cipher – a made-up word or symbol – is used to replace the real identity. Pseudonymised data, unlike anonymised data, can be used to reverse-identify the data source. Pseudonymisation or anonymisation is mandatory in research involving personal data, personal opinions or other sensitive information
Public domain
Public Domain
Works or data that are no longer subject to copyright and can be freely used by anyone
ReadMe files
ReadMe File
A text file describing a file, dataset, folder, etc. and providing information about its contents, structure, format, instructions for use, etc.
Reproducibility
Reproducibility
The ability to replicate a study with the same results, using the same data, methods and conditions. It is an important indicator of the quality and reliability of science, as it indicates the robustness and generality of a study’s methods and conclusions. Reproducibility builds confidence in the results of research and allows other researchers to verify and validate the results
Preservation Metadata
Preservation Metadata
Metadata describing information about the preservation and long-term sustainability of a digital resource. This metadata includes information necessary to ensure the availability and integrity of the resource over time, taking into account technological change and possible data corruption
Secondary Data
Secondary Data
The study uses data that may have been obtained in another study and may have had a different primary objective. Secondary data can be retrieved, for example, from statistical reports, from a report on another study, from the results of another project, from a publication or from archival material
Secondary Data Analysis
Secondary Data Analysis
A data analysis approach, where the researcher does not collect new data for his or her study, but analyses existing data
Secondary Source
Secondary Source
A resource from which indirect, also interpreted, information about the source is obtained. In a secondary source, information may be specially selected from the primary source, organised, transformed, explained or commented on, analysed, evaluated, etc. For example, a document is a primary source, but a study of the document is a secondary source; an eyewitness account is a primary source, but an eyewitness account is a secondary source
Semantic Metadata
Semantic Metadata
Metadata defining the meaning of the data and allowing its reconciliation across systems
Sensitive Personal Data
Sensitive Personal Data
Person-specific information includes genetic and biometric data, indicating an individual’s ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, membership of associations, health and sexual orientation. Sensitive personal data contains private and intimate information that can be misused, for example, to discriminate against a person at work, in an educational institution
Closed Data
Closed Data
Data not available for public access due to various restrictions such as confidentiality or copyright
Structural Metadata
Structural Metadata
Metadata describing the organisation, format and relationships between elements
Tabular Data
Tabular Data
Data structured in rows and columns (e.g. spreadsheet format)
Technical Metadata
Technical Metadata
Information on data format, software, hardware and other technical requirements
Credibility
Credibility
A measure of scientific strength in a qualitative strategy, indicating the extent to which qualitative research is a true reflection of the phenomenon or process being studied (e.g. the dynamics of an aspect of a research participant’s experience)
Direct/Indirect Identifiers
Direct/Indirect Identifiers
Direct identifiers are data that directly identify an individual, such as name, personal identification number, email address or telephone number. These identifiers allow data to be linked to a specific person without any doubt. Indirect identifiers are data that cannot directly identify an individual on their own, but could help to do so when combined with other data. For example, date of birth, address, gender or professional position may become indirect identifiers if additional sources of information are available to identify a specific person
Transcript
Transcript
Written reproduction of qualitative data (audio and visual, such as recorded conversations, interviews or discussions) in printed text
Third Party
Third Party
A person or organisation not directly involved in the creation or use of the data but who may be involved in or affected by the process
Unicode, UTF-8 Unicode, UTF-8
A universal symbol encoding standard supporting a wide range of languages and symbols
Reliability
Dependability
A criterion of scientific strength in a qualitative strategy, indicating the unquestionable logic and quality of the structure and results found
Generalisation
Generalization
The process of extending a particular observation, conclusion or knowledge to a wider group or situation than originally obtained. This means drawing general conclusions from a few specific data or examples, which may apply to larger amounts of data or wider circumstances
General Data Protection Regulation GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation GDPR
A European Union regulation that sets rules to protect personal data and respect privacy rights. It sets out requirements for data processing, including obtaining consent, ensuring data security and giving people control over their data
VPC
VPC
Higher Education and Science Information Technology Shared Service Centre, established by the four largest Latvian universities RTU, RSU, LU and LBTU to promote the digitisation and development of the Latvian education system. The mission of the VPC is to use these institutions and international experience to develop digital solutions for the competitiveness of Latvian higher education and science

Glossary of research data management terms

Administrative metadata
Administrative Metadata
Administrative metadata is a category of metadata that includes information on data provenance, ownership, access rights, usage restrictions and version control. This metadata often includes technical information such as file sizes, creation and modification dates, software requirements and storage locations. Sometimes referred to as meta-metadata
Anonymised Data
Anonymised Data
Information that does not allow a person to be identified, to be distinguished from a set of data. A person’s real identity, such as name, surname, place of work, is expressed by a code – a made-up word or symbol. Anonymised data is irretrievable, i.e. the information about the pseudonymisation and encryption of a person is no longer accessible to anyone, it is deleted. Pseudonymisation or anonymisation is mandatory in research involving personal data, personal opinions or other sensitive information
Descriptive metadata
Descriptive Metadata
Metadata describing the content of the data, such as title, author or subject
Reference
Citation
Reference to the specific paper, dataset or source used in the study
Open-source Documentation
Open-source Documentation
Publicly available documents describing the use, design and development of open source software
Open Access, also Open Access, Open Access
Open Access
Open Science Initiative to promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge in society, especially in education and academia. Open Access is a form of access to scholarly publications that supports free access to electronic resources – full-text scholarly information – subject to permitted conditions of use: search, read, download, cite, copy, distribute, transmit as data, or otherwise use without violating copyright
Open Source Software
Open Source Software
Software whose source code is openly used by its creators and users. The advantage of such software is that its developers and users can develop and adapt the software to specific tasks during development. An example of open source software is the Linux operating system
Open Science
Open Science
A way of making scientific activity publicly available, with the aim of making the latest scientific research publicly accessible to both the academic community and society at large. Open science is characterised by the unrestricted or minimally restricted open access dissemination of up-to-date research data, publications, research notes, oral reports, etc., and the involvement of the public in the scientific research process in a variety of ways to promote amateur science. This is done through various activities: open access scholarly publishing to make publications and data freely available online to all, free of charge; encouraging scientists to make scientific records open access; promoting open access ideas
Open Access Repository
Open Access Repository
Open Access Resource – a large data repository, an online site with free access to electronically archived and deposited full-text scientific information and the possibility for users to handle it under open access terms of use
Open Data
Open Data
Online information characterised by legally and technologically free access, machine-readable format with freely available applications and unrestricted use. Open data can be freely downloaded and processed, shared and distributed by anyone. Open data can also be extended to information published by institutions, such as public registers and public parts of national information systems, studies, statistics, etc.
Copyright
Copyright
A type of exclusive right, the subject of which is the author and/or the commissioner of a work of science, literature or art, the object of which is the work of the author. Copyright extends to all aspects and uses of the work. Copyright is a human right and a property right; it determines what acts copyright owners must protect against. Copyright is protected and regulated by the Copyright Act
Source
Source
A resource from which something is derived, e.g. an initiative, information, material benefit. In research, the primary source of data is a survey, interview, experiment, documents, etc., while the secondary source of data is literature, statistical databases, etc. In historical research, sources are specifically classified, e.g. written, in-kind, oral, audiovisual historical evidence
Biological Data
Biological Data
Data relating to living organisms, such as genetic, physiological or biological information
Creative Commons
Creative Commons
A licensing system that allows the author to determine how others can use his work
Data
Facts, Data
1. information about a phenomenon, e.g. a being, an object, that helps to distinguish it, to identify it among other similar phenomena 2. information that describes a phenomenon, e.g. a being, a process, a state, by providing descriptive details about the phenomenon. Data can be expressed numerically, i.e. quantitatively, and textually, i.e. descriptively. In education, data are used to describe, for example, the types, number and geographical distribution of educational institutions, the educational level of teachers, pupil/student performance, education funding, etc. The analysis of education data allows the quality of education to be assessed and conclusions to be drawn, good practices and gaps to be identified. Educators, education managers and education policy-makers can use data to make decisions on the organisation of education, methods and optimal use of resources, to plan future actions, and to develop problem-solving concepts. 3. information obtained through data collection methods appropriate to the methodology of the discipline, such as surveys, interviews, document analysis
File
File
A structured digital item of information stored on a storage medium or computer and given a name. It may contain different types of data such as text, images, sound, software code or other digital records and is also usually identified by file format or extension (e.g. .txt, .csv, .jpg)
File format
File Format
Specific data structure or encoding type in which the information is stored (e.g. CSV, PDF, JSON)
Dataset Owner
Data Owner
The person or organisation who has the right to decide on the use, access and transfer of the data
Dataset Manager
Data Manager
Responsible person or role for ensuring data quality, integrity, documentation and regulatory compliance
Data analysis
Data Analysis
The process of systematically collecting, examining, transforming and interpreting data according to a set of rules in order to obtain new and useful information, identify patterns, draw conclusions or support decision-making
Data analysis methods
Data Analysis Methods
A set of systematic techniques and activities to systematically collect and process the data generated by a study in a way that is relevant to the purpose of the study: data are evaluated, compared, grouped, visualised and interpreted. Data analysis uses analogue and digital tools such as SPSS for quantitative data analysis or MAXQDA for qualitative data analysis. Data analysis methods may be closely related to data mining methods such as contingency analysis, hermeneutics, the Delphi method
Data Anonymisation
Data Anonymisation
Data anonymisation is the process of processing personal data so that they can no longer be directly or indirectly identified to an individual. It involves removing or modifying identifiers, ensuring the protection of personal privacy and compliance with data protection laws and regulations
Data Archiving
Data Archiving
In research data management, data archiving is the practice of identifying research data that is no longer active and moving it to long-term storage. This means activities that ensure that records, objects, metadata and research data are properly selected and preserved so that they can be accessed and their logical and physical integrity, security and authenticity are maintained over time
Data Reuse
Data Reuse
Using existing research data for new studies or other analytical purposes that may differ from the original purpose of the data collection. It promotes open science, efficient use of resources and the generation of new knowledge
Data Deposition
Data Deposition
Data deposit is the process by which research data is placed and structured in a repository to ensure its preservation, accessibility and reusability over time.
Data Security/Protection
Data Security/Protection
A set of measures to protect data against unauthorised access, alteration, loss or disclosure
Data Backup
Data Backup
Making a copy of data stored on a computer or server, reducing the potential impact of failure or loss
Data format
Data Format
The structure in which data is encoded and stored. It defines how data is stored and how it can be processed, e.g. text files (.txt), images (.jpg), or data tables (.csv). The choice of format should ensure compatibility and future availability of the data
Data Collection Methods
Data Collection Methods
A set of systematic techniques and activities for obtaining information and recording data in accordance with the theory, methodology and purpose of the research. Data extraction methods include quantitative and qualitative research methods, primary and secondary data extraction methods. Data collection methods include, for example, survey, observation, experiment, etc. Data extraction shall respect the protection of personal data, ethical standards and academic integrity
Data Extraction and Processing Tool
Data Extraction and Processing Tool
A tool for capturing, selecting, structuring quantitative and qualitative data, helping to reveal relationships, trends, etc. The tool helps to implement data mining and analysis techniques. Data extraction and processing tools can be analogue, such as a questionnaire, protocol, test, or digital, such as a computer program
Data Collection Strategy
Data Collection Strategy
The plan or method by which data will be obtained for a particular study
Data Set
Data Set
Observation and measurement data collected during the scientific study. A combination of physical records in a data environment that has its own identifier and corresponds to one of the following types of organisation: data processing system, data hosting, storage and access
Data Sharing
Data Sharing
Providing access to data to other users through a specific platform or tool, often directly (e.g. by sending a link or file)
Data Sharing
Data Sharing
Sharing data with other users or institutions in a coherent, structured or reusable way, often with rules and access controls
Data Curator
Data Curator Data Steward
The person responsible for ensuring data quality, availability, security and compliance in an organisation or study. His or her main task is to take care of the management of data throughout its life cycle, from acquisition and processing to storage and use. The Data Curator ensures that data are accurate, complete and accessible to the users who need them, while respecting relevant legal and ethical requirements. In addition, he/she is responsible for data documentation, metadata management and compliance with standards related to data quality and access
Data Users
Data Users
Researchers or other persons using the data for analysis, comparisons or re-research
Data Minimisation
Data Minimisation
Applying the principle of collecting only the data necessary for a specific purpose, reducing redundant or sensitive information
Data Management
Data Management
Research data management is a structured process that includes research design, data collection, documentation, processing, storage, sharing and long-term preservation throughout the research cycle, ensuring data quality, reusability and compliance with ethical and legal requirements
Data Management Plan DPP
Data Management Plan DMP
A document describing how research data will be managed – collected, stored, protected and shared. The DPP includes information on data formats, version control, security and submission to the repository, as well as the necessary tools for reuse
Data Managers
Data Managers
Persons responsible for storing, structuring, documenting and accessing data in accordance with regulations and best practice principles
Data Availability Statement
Data Availability Statement
A statement in a scientific publication indicating whether and where the research data are available
Data Pseudonymisation
Data Pseudonymisation
Data pseudonymisation is a method of processing personal data in which identifying information is replaced by artificial identifiers (such as code numbers), so that the person’s identity is no longer directly identifiable without further information. Pseudonymised data are still considered as personal data, as it is theoretically possible to reconstruct the identity if the separately stored information (e.g. a key or a table of identifiers) is available. Unlike anonymisation, which is irreversible, pseudonymisation is reversible if appropriate data or tools are available
Data Publishing
Data Publishing
Data publishing is the process by which research data are produced, described and made available to other users, following certain standards of quality, documentation and access, for example by publishing them in a data repository
Data Encryption
Data Encryption
The process of processing data by the data originator to secure the data content against unauthorised use. Encryption is a technical process that converts data into an unreadable format to protect its confidentiality and prevent unauthorised access. Encrypted data can only be read and processed by users after it has been decrypted. The decryption key is secret and must therefore be protected against unauthorised access
Data Validation
Data Validation
A check of the degree to which data stored in computer memory or in documents conforms to the actual state of the objects to be represented, which ensures that the data to be checked conforms to the specified specifications and excludes the use of unintended characters and data types or deviations from specified field lengths. It is the process of ensuring that data are accurate, complete and reliable before they are used in analysis
Data Dictionary
Data Dictionary
A structured set of metadata describing data elements, their meaning, data types and possible values
Data visualisation
Data Visualisation
A concise, structured representation of information using a graphical representation, i.e. a picture with clearly identifiable elements such as a map, diagram, chart, table, etc. The purpose of data visualisation is to systematise data, facilitate data perception and analysis
Data Visualisation Tool
Data Visualisation Tool
Software that creates a graphical representation of data. Data visualisation tools help you to create and process graphical representations, such as charts, or to develop interactive data visualisation
Digitisation
Digitisation
The process of converting physical or analogue information into digital format
Digital Archive
Digital Archive
A repository for digitally stored data or documents that provides long-term preservation and access
Digital Object Identifier DOI
Digital Object Identifier DOI
A unique and immutable identifier that guarantees that a digital object will be permanently available on the internet, regardless of URL changes. The central registry system ensures that the DOI will direct the user to the current location of the object, preserving access to it in the long term
Data Managemen plan DMP Platforms
Data Managemen plan DMP Platforms
Digital Data Management Plan (DMP) tools that help researchers structure, describe and organise data management throughout the project lifecycle
Dual Use / Dual Usability
Dual Use
Technologies or resources and related data that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, including the suppression of human rights or terrorist attacks
Embargo periods
Embargo Period
Period of time during which data is not made public, often until the publication or project is completed
FAIR Data Principles
AIR Data Principles
Guidelines for the creation and management of research data; these guidelines are defined to promote the maximum use of research data; FAIR data are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable
Restricted Access Data
Restricted Access Data
An access regime that allows data to be used on a restricted basis, e.g. only for certain groups of users, or after a certain time limit, or under other specific conditions
Input
Input Data
A set of data used as input for analysis, models or calculations
Informed Consent
Informed Consent
An explicit declaration of willingness to volunteer to participate in the study. Informed consent is primarily given in writing and is an acknowledgement that the research participant has been informed of the purpose of the research, his/her role in the research and the protection of personal data, the possibility to withdraw from the research, and the risks and benefits
Institutional Repository
Institutional Repository
Open Access repository for an institution or group of institutions to store publications such as e-editions, technical reports, master theses and dissertations, datasets and teaching materials
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property
Created intangible assets, such as inventions, works or brands, which are subject to proprietary rights
IT Infrastructure
IT Infrastructure
A set of technology systems (hardware, software, networks) that manage and access data
Provenance Metadata
Provenance Metadata
Metadata documenting the history of data creation and processing
Outliers
Outliers
Observations or data values that are significantly different from the others and may affect the results of the analysis
Ownership
Ownership Rights
Legal control over data, including the right to determine who may use it and for what purpose
Jēldati
Raw Data
Original, raw data obtained directly from observations, measurements, sensors or other data sources before transformation, cleaning or analysis. They often also contain errors, missing records or redundant information
Legal or rights metadata
Rights Metadata
Metadata providing information on copyright, licences and conditions of use
Camel letters
CamelCase
A spelling style where multiple words are formed without spaces, each word starting with a capital letter (e.g. MyVariableName)
Coding
Coding
Transformation of data into symbolic or encrypted form, e.g. for qualitative analysis or data protection
Codebook
Codebook
A document describing a data coding system to help analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data. It describes the variables, including their coded name, full name, data type and measurement scale, codes used and their transcripts, measurement range, units of measurement, etc.
Code Table
Code Table
A structured document describing the variables, their meanings and coding systems in a dataset
Confidential Data
Confidential Data
Information the disclosure of which could harm individuals, organisations or processes and is therefore restricted
Controlled Vocabulary
Controlled Vocabulary
A predefined, standardised list of terms or words used to provide a uniform and consistent description, classification or retrieval of information. Such a dictionary helps to eliminate confusion caused by synonymy, spelling and linguistic diversity
Qualitative research methods
Qualitative Research Methods
A set of systematic techniques for obtaining, processing and analysing data in qualitative research to understand and interpret the nature of a phenomenon. Qualitative data collection methods include interview, focus group interview, observation, etc., as well as various types of text and image analysis. Qualitative data analysis uses data exploration, coding, categorisation and comparison, such as contingency analysis, discourse analysis, hermeneutics
Qualitative data
Qualitative Data
Data describing quality, meaning or experience are often obtained through interviews, observations or open-ended questions
Quantitative data
Quantitative Data
Data expressed in numbers and analysed using statistical methods, such as survey results or measurement data. Quantitative data may be counted, measured or assigned a numerical value
Good Research Practice
Good Research Practice
Guiding principles and standards of conduct that ensure scientific quality, transparency, ethics and integrity in research
Licence
A document or set of conditions that specifies how other persons are allowed to use data, software or other content
Big Data
Big Data
A massive collection of structured or unstructured information, characterised by its variety, speed of acquisition and retrieval, from different sources in an electronic environment, such as real-time data acquired over the internet: social network content, emails, mobile app data, etc. Big data is collected, stored and analysed using specific software
Machine-readability/Machine-readable
Machine-readability/Machine-readable
Machine-readability is the property of data, documents or files that allows them to be read, processed and interpreted by computer software without additional manual intervention. Machine-readable refers to a format or information structure that can be automatically read and understood by a computer, such as structured data in CSV, JSON, XML, etc.
Cloud services
Cloud Services
Internet-based IT resources, such as data storage or processing, accessible via a remote infrastructure
Metadata
Metadata
Data. These provide additional information to help describe, organise and understand the underlying data. Metadata include, for example, the author of the data, the date of creation, the data format, associated keywords or version information. Metadata makes data more searchable, accessible and reusable
Metadata schema
Metadata Schema
A set of rules that define how metadata is organised and structured to ensure its uniformity and understandability. The set of metadata elements, their order of completion and the conditions under which they are to be filled in constitute the metadata schema. If the schema has been developed by experts or institutions, these guidelines may become the metadata standard
Metadata Standard
Metadata Standard
A recognised framework for metadata creation that ensures compatibility between datasets and information systems
Data Protection Impact Assessment – NIDA
Data Protection Impact Assessment – DPIA
A process that assesses the risks that may affect an individual’s privacy when personal data are processed. Where the processing poses a high risk to privacy, a NIDA must be carried out in accordance with Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation in order to identify the risks and determine measures to mitigate them
Ontology
Ontology
A formal knowledge representation structure that describes concepts (or classes), their properties and their relationships in a domain. It allows computers and humans to interpret data in a common way, providing a shared understanding of terminology and its usage
Open Data Commons
Open Data Commons
Organisation developing open data licensing models
Transparency
Transparency
Openness of information, allowing assessment of data sources, the analysis process and the validity of the research
Personal Data
Personal Data
Any information relating to an identified or identifiable living natural person. Personal data includes information by which a specific person can be identified, for example, personal data such as name, personal identification number, genetic and biometric data
Sustainability of Research Data
Sustainability of Research Data
A set of processes and measures to ensure the long-term availability, preservation, reusability and understandability of research data. This includes structured data storage, metadata appending, documentation, and appropriate technological and institutional support to ensure that data do not lose their scientific value in the future
Research Participant
Research Participant
An individual who agrees to participate and is recruited into a study according to certain selection criteria in order to provide data for the study. The participant is informed about the purpose of the study, the methods of data collection and analysis, the protection of personal data and the dissemination of results
Research Methodology
Research Methodology
A systematic organisation of a study in terms of a particular discipline or field of science, or in terms of interdisciplinarity, according to the categories of the study – object, subject, aim and/or question, hypothesis, objectives. The research methodology includes the theoretical concept and the research methodology. The methodology reveals the logic and validity of the research design, the structure of the research
Research Plan or Protocol
Research Plan or Protocol
A detailed description of how the specific study will be carried out, including objectives, methodology, data collection and analysis procedures
Research Ethics Committee
Research Ethics Committee
An independent body to assess the ethics of the research; it protects the interests of research participants and the public, mitigates concerns about researcher conflicts of interest, ensures researcher accountability and transparency of the research process
Research Project
Research Project
Organised research with a specific aim, methodology, timetable and often funding
Research Data
Research Data
Information collected, generated, processed or analysed as part of a research project, which provides the basis for scientific conclusions. Research data can potentially be combined and re-used both within and outside scientific practice
Research Data Repository
Research Data Repository
A structured system (website or platform) for the storage, metadata appending, access, reuse and long-term preservation of research data, according to defined standards and access conditions
Research Life Cycle
Research Life Cycle
A process that involves all the steps from the initial ideas of a study to the publication of the results and the long-term preservation of the data. It typically includes the following phases: study design – setting the objectives, formulating the questions and choosing the methodology; data collection – conducting experiments, obtaining and recording data; data analysis – processing, analysing and interpreting the data; publication – sharing the results with the scientific community and the public; data preservation – archiving and providing long-term access to the data; data re-use – other researchers accessing and using the data in their own research
Research Ethics
Research Ethics
A set of rules on the application of ethical standards to research activities and the dissemination of research. Research ethics are about protecting the privacy, dignity and rights of individuals involved in research, using research for the common good, not harming society and the environment, maintaining academic integrity, etc.
Research Institution
Research Institution
An organisation carrying out or supporting scientific research
Research Integrity
Research Integrity
A set of ethical principles and professional standards that guide the responsible and honest conduct of scientific work. It includes honesty, accuracy, transparency and accountability at all stages of the research process
Persistent Identifier – PID
Persistent Identifier – PID
A unique and immutable identifier assigned to a digital object (e.g. research data, publication), author, organisation, etc., to ensure its sustainable identification, retrieval and referability regardless of changes in its physical location or environment
Access
Access
The continued availability and continued usability of the digital resource, preserving all the characteristics of authenticity, accuracy and functionality considered essential for the purposes for which the digital material was created and/or acquired. Access users can retrieve, understand, manipulate and preserve copies
Access Control
Access Control
Technological or administrative mechanisms governing who can access data or systems and under what circumstances
Accessibility
Accessibility
Users’ ability to access or retrieve data when they find it. This includes cases where access to data is restricted, for example where user requests need to be authenticated and authorised
Pilot Study
Pilot Study
A study that aims to test a theoretically designed study in practice on a smaller scale and/or within a shorter timeframe, e.g. by collecting data in a narrower sample set, not using all the methods planned for the study, etc. A pilot study helps to identify potential methodological problems and to refine a future full-scale study
Source Code Licences
Source Code Licences
Rules governing the use, sharing, modification and distribution of software source code
Source Code
Source Code
Human-readable software text written in a programming language that describes how the software works. It is written by programmers and then compiled or interpreted so that a computer can execute it
Primary data
Primary Data
Data that the researcher or research team obtains directly from the sample population of the study and that have not been previously analysed and interpreted. For example, data obtained from a survey, experiment, observation, documents, etc. are primary data
Privacy/ Confidentiality
Privacy/ Confidentiality
Protection of personal data and sensitive information against unauthorised access and disclosure
Pseudonymised data, also pseudonymisation
Pseudonymisation of data
Encrypted information about a data source, such as a person or an organisation, with the purpose of hiding their true identity, such as name, title, workplace, etc. A pseudonym or cipher – a made-up word or symbol – is used to replace the real identity. Pseudonymised data, unlike anonymised data, can be used to reverse-identify the data source. Pseudonymisation or anonymisation is mandatory in research involving personal data, personal opinions or other sensitive information
Public domain
Public Domain
Works or data that are no longer subject to copyright and can be freely used by anyone
ReadMe files
ReadMe File
A text file describing a file, dataset, folder, etc. and providing information about its contents, structure, format, instructions for use, etc.
Reproducibility
Reproducibility
The ability to replicate a study with the same results, using the same data, methods and conditions. It is an important indicator of the quality and reliability of science, as it indicates the robustness and generality of a study’s methods and conclusions. Reproducibility builds confidence in the results of research and allows other researchers to verify and validate the results
Preservation Metadata
Preservation Metadata
Metadata describing information about the preservation and long-term sustainability of a digital resource. This metadata includes information necessary to ensure the availability and integrity of the resource over time, taking into account technological change and possible data corruption
Secondary Data
Secondary Data
The study uses data that may have been obtained in another study and may have had a different primary objective. Secondary data can be retrieved, for example, from statistical reports, from a report on another study, from the results of another project, from a publication or from archival material
Secondary Data Analysis
Secondary Data Analysis
A data analysis approach, where the researcher does not collect new data for his or her study, but analyses existing data
Secondary Source
Secondary Source
A resource from which indirect, also interpreted, information about the source is obtained. In a secondary source, information may be specially selected from the primary source, organised, transformed, explained or commented on, analysed, evaluated, etc. For example, a document is a primary source, but a study of the document is a secondary source; an eyewitness account is a primary source, but an eyewitness account is a secondary source
Semantic Metadata
Semantic Metadata
Metadata defining the meaning of the data and allowing its reconciliation across systems
Sensitive Personal Data
Sensitive Personal Data
Person-specific information includes genetic and biometric data, indicating an individual’s ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, membership of associations, health and sexual orientation. Sensitive personal data contains private and intimate information that can be misused, for example, to discriminate against a person at work, in an educational institution
Closed Data
Closed Data
Data not available for public access due to various restrictions such as confidentiality or copyright
Structural Metadata
Structural Metadata
Metadata describing the organisation, format and relationships between elements
Tabular Data
Tabular Data
Data structured in rows and columns (e.g. spreadsheet format)
Technical Metadata
Technical Metadata
Information on data format, software, hardware and other technical requirements
Credibility
Credibility
A measure of scientific strength in a qualitative strategy, indicating the extent to which qualitative research is a true reflection of the phenomenon or process being studied (e.g. the dynamics of an aspect of a research participant’s experience)
Direct/Indirect Identifiers
Direct/Indirect Identifiers
Direct identifiers are data that directly identify an individual, such as name, personal identification number, email address or telephone number. These identifiers allow data to be linked to a specific person without any doubt. Indirect identifiers are data that cannot directly identify an individual on their own, but could help to do so when combined with other data. For example, date of birth, address, gender or professional position may become indirect identifiers if additional sources of information are available to identify a specific person
Transcript
Transcript
Written reproduction of qualitative data (audio and visual, such as recorded conversations, interviews or discussions) in printed text
Third Party
Third Party
A person or organisation not directly involved in the creation or use of the data but who may be involved in or affected by the process
Unicode, UTF-8 Unicode, UTF-8
A universal symbol encoding standard supporting a wide range of languages and symbols
Reliability
Dependability
A criterion of scientific strength in a qualitative strategy, indicating the unquestionable logic and quality of the structure and results found
Generalisation
Generalization
The process of extending a particular observation, conclusion or knowledge to a wider group or situation than originally obtained. This means drawing general conclusions from a few specific data or examples, which may apply to larger amounts of data or wider circumstances
General Data Protection Regulation GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation GDPR
A European Union regulation that sets rules to protect personal data and respect privacy rights. It sets out requirements for data processing, including obtaining consent, ensuring data security and giving people control over their data
VPC
VPC
Higher Education and Science Information Technology Shared Service Centre, established by the four largest Latvian universities RTU, RSU, LU and LBTU to promote the digitisation and development of the Latvian education system. The mission of the VPC is to use these institutions and international experience to develop digital solutions for the competitiveness of Latvian higher education and science