Gazi University Data Dictionary Standard

A data dictionary is a summary of data definitions for multiple data elements in the data store. The data dictionary should be created to guide data users on the meaning and correct use of data in systems that provide data, and its up to date and validity should be verified taking into account the needs.

 

Principles:

  1. The data dictionary is designed to generate and communicate the meaning of data; documenting the existence, mean, and use of data elements.
  2. Data dictionaries are accessed by all users who enter or receive data from.
  3. Data steward are responsible for operating the contents of the data dictionary (definitions, values ​​and other metadata).
  4. Data steward and users actively use data dictionaries to correctly enter, select and analyze data elements and values.
  5. Data dictionaries are reviewed at regular intervals to ensure their validity.


Data Dictionary should contain the following fields.

Dictionary Element

Definition

Example

Data Element Number

 

It is uniquely and numerically defined for each data element. They are numbered sequentially starting from 1 and increasing by one.

1,2,3......

Data element

The alphanumeric sequence used to identify the field. Capital letters are used. Turkish characters and spaces are not used. The underscore is used instead of a space.

AGNO

OGR_DZY

Data element name

The name of the field or term. No abbreviations or acronyms allowed.

Weighted GPA of a student or graduate enrolled in  undergraduate or graduate program

Education level

Data element definition

A long description of what the field means, a verbal explanation of how it is calculated, how it should be used, and how it should not be used. The definition should not simply re-state the name of the data element.

 
Reference on the explanation and calculation of the weighted GPA.
Status of a student enrolled in more than one program.

Types of education level : B.Sc.,M.Sc,Ph.D etc.

Data Sources

Source system, table, and field(s) and data logic, including equations, if applicable. List all sources if multiple sources are used to populate.

XXXX (Unit Code) and long name

 
Data Steward

Identifies the person responsible for the data.

Person with XXX work ID

Data type and length

Numeric, Character; length and decimal format, if appropriate .

Numeric (X.XXX)

Character (X)

Allowable Values / Parameters

 

Provides a description of what data may be entered into a field. For numeric fields, this would be minimum and maximum values. For character fields, list allowable values and labels if fewer than 10 or provide name of set-up or dimension table in which values and labels are stored.

Weighted GPA

Interval: 0.00-4.00

1= Associate degree, 2=undergraduate, 3= M.Sc degree

 

Entity State of Data Element

Indicates the state of the definition of the data element. The values ​​ can take:

  • Compulsory
  • Optional
  • Conditional: Indicates that the value of this data element is mandatory only under certain conditions

For example, the condition that military service information is entered for only male personnel. The existence of data element for the personnel military status is related to the value of the personnel gender data element.

 

 

Semantic Rules

Explain any patterns and meaning that may be encoded in the code.

Term is arranged by century-year-term. 1st character is the century, 2nd & 3rd characters are year, 4th character is a 1, 4, 6 or 8 for winter, spring, summer, or fall terms.

Date created

Lists the date the dictionary entry was created.

mm/dd/yyyy

Date updated

Lists the date the dictionary entry was updated.

mm/dd/yyyy

Alias names

Lists common terms substituted for the data element.

 

GPA

Student Level, Type 

Security

If an element is marked as hidden, it is not shown in the data dictionary output. In general, metadata is not expected to be confidential. Because these elements hold metadata, not data. For example, T.C. The Identity Number data element holds metadata, not the identification number of a particular person, but generally the identification numbers are 11 digits, each digit is a digit, the identification number uniquely identifies the persons.Therefore, It doesn't make sense for the ID Number data element to be hidden. However, in some cases it may not be desirable to even know the existence of some elements. In such cases, those elements must be defined as hidden.

 
Secure
Not secure

Usage

 

Describes typical usage or reports where the data element frequently appears.

University Strategy Report (with code number) and related Chart/Figure number

 
Acceptability

 

 
Indicates the level of acceptability of the definition.

 

 
Possible values: Accepted; This is usually entered.
  • Deprecated
  • Expired
  • Invalid
 
Collection Methods

 

 
It explains how the data is collected.

 

 For example, data may be sent over a web service, data or declared values ​​in a particular field of a particular report may be entered through an application interface or may be generated automatically by the software. 
Multiple Status

 

 
Specifies whether the data element can contain one or more value.
The values ​ can take:

•Singular

•Plural

For example, for definition of the personnel dataset, the multiplicity value for the staff date of birth data element must be singular. In other words, a staff has only one date of birth. However, the plural case for a staff phone number can be plural. In this case, a staff can have more than one phone number.

 
Other Considerations
    

 

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