- Who we are
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- Advisory Council
- Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information
Glossary A-Z
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
Find the APPSI quality score key (* - *****) at the bottom of the page.
Aggregated data ***
Definition: A form of anonymisation of unit records involving combinations such that individual details are not disclosed.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Anonymisation ****
Definition: The Process of adapting data so that individual people or businesses cannot be identified from it.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Application Programming Interface (API) ****
Definition: A specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other. An API may include specifications for routines, data structures, object classes, and variables.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Attribution licence ***
Definition: A licence that requires that the original source of the licensed material is cited (attributed).
Source: Open Data Handbook
Authoritative ****
Definition: Able to be trusted as being accurate or true; reliable: e.g. 'clear, authoritative information'.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Big data **
Definition: Datasets that are too awkward to work with using traditional, hands-on database management tools.
Source: The Big Data Opportunity, Policy Exchange, ISBN: 978-1-907689-22-2, 2012
Big data analytics****
Definition: The process of examining and interrogating big data assets to derive insights of value for decision making.
Source: The Big Data Opportunity, Policy Exchange, ISBN: 978-1-907689-22-2, 2012
C
Click-use ****
Definition: The online licensing system for Crown and Parliamentary copyright information developed by the Office of Public Sector Information in 2001. Click-use was replaced by the Open Government Licence and the Open Parliament Licence but remains historically significant.
Source: UK Government Licensing Framework
Commercial use/re-use ***
Definition: Use that is intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or private monetary compensation. For clarity, commercial advantage applies either to reselling the data through products in any form or to internal use to improve business effectiveness.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary with APPSI addition
Content**
Definition: Published information
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Copyright ****
Definition: Part of the family of intellectual property rights including trademarks, designs and patents. Copyright applies automatically when a work is created in a material form. Copyright applies to literary works, such as website articles/annual reports; artistic works maps, drawings, paintings and photographs; films; sound recordings and typographical arrangements. The first owner of copyright will normally be the artist/author or organisation that created the work (except for Crown copyright). Copyright subsists in a work regardless of the level of artistic or literary merit. The standard term of copyright is the life of the author plus 70 years.
Source: The National Archives Information Management GlossaryCore-reference data **
Definition: Authoritative or definitive data necessary to use other information, produced by the public sector as a service in itself due to its high importance and value.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Costs - Fixed ***
Definition: Costs which do not vary with the level of activity in the short run.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary
Cost - Full ***
Definition: The total cost of all the resources used in providing a good or service in any accounting period (usually one year). This will include all direct and indirect costs of producing the output (both cash and non-cash costs), including a full proportional share of overhead costs and any selling and distribution costs, insurance, depreciation, and the cost of capital, and any selling and distribution costs, insurance, depreciation, and the cost of capital, including any appropriate adjustment for expected cost increases.
Source: HM Treasury Glossary (Managing Public Money)
Cost - Marginal ***
Definition: The incremental cost of providing one further unit of a good or service.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary
Creative Commons ****
Definition: A US non-profit organisation which offers a suite of licences to copyright holders to enable them to license their work. The licences offered are all free and licences offered allow the copyright holder to stipulate the certain conditions on how the work may be re-used.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Crown Copyright ****
Definition: Crown copyright covers material created by civil servants, ministers and government departments and agencies. It is legally defined under section 163 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as works made by officers or services of the Crown in the course of their duties. Copyright can also come into Crown ownership by means of an assignment or transfer of the copyright from the legal owner of the copyright to the Crown.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Data (singular or plural in common usage) **
Definition: Values of qualitative or quantitative variables, belonging to a set of items. Data in computing (or data processing) is often represented by a combination of items organised in rows and multiple variables organised in columns. The terms data, information and knowledge are frequently used for overlapping concepts. The main difference is in the level of abstraction being considered. Data is a broad term, embracing others, but is often the lowest level of abstraction, information is the next level and, finally, knowledge is the highest level. See also Raw data, Derived data, Metadata.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Data discovery ****
Definition: The process of finding out what data exists and how it can be accessed.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary
Data sharing **
Definition: The transfer of data between different organisations to achieve an improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Database rights ***
Definition: An intellectual property right which applies to databases defined by the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997 as 'a collection of independent works or materials arranged in a systematic or methodical way and that are individually accessible by electronic or other means'. Database rights apply only to the collection of works, not to the individual works contained within it. Database right protection lasts for 15 years from when the database was completed but the 15 year period will restart if the database is altered significantly.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Dataset ***
Definition: A collection of data, usually presented in tabular form, presented either electronically or in other formats.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
De-anonymisation ***
Definition: The process of determining the identity of an individual to whom a pseudonymised dataset relates.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Definitive****
Definition: Of recognised authority or excellence
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Delegations of Authority ****
Definition: Authority granted by the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office to Crown bodies enabling them to license the re-use of information which they produce. Crown bodies with complete delegations to license information include trading funds, however some departments have partial delegations to license the use of particular information. All Crown bodies with delegations of authority are subject to the supervision of the Information Fair Trader Scheme.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Derived Data **
Definition: A data element adapted from other data elements using a mathematical, logical, or other type of transformation, e.g. arithmetic formula, composition, aggregation. See also Value-added data.
Source: OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms
Digital rights management ***
Definition: A class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Disclosive ****
Definition: Data is potentially disclosive if, despite the removal of obvious identifiers, characteristics of this dataset in isolation or in conjunction with other datasets might lead to identification of the individual to whom a record belongs.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Document *****
Definition: Any content whatever its medium (written on paper or stored in electronic form or as a sound, visual or audiovisual recording).
Source: EU PSI directive
Top of pageFree at point of use ***
Definition: Where there is no charge or fee to the end-user for the use or re-use of information.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary
Freemium ****
Definition: A business model by which a product or service (typically a digital offering such as software, media, games or web services) is provided free of charge, but a premium is charged for advanced features or functionality.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Geospatial data ***
Definition: Also known as spatial data or geographic information, it is the data or information that identifies the geographic location of features and boundaries on Earth, such as natural or constructed features, oceans and more. Spatial data is usually stored as coordinates and topology, and is data that can be mapped.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Information ****
Definition: Interpretation and analysis of data that, when presented in context, represents added value, message or meaning. See also Data.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary and Opening up government - glossary of key terms
Information Asset Register (IAR) ***
Definition: Registers specifically set up to capture and organise metadata about the vast quantities of information held by government departments and agencies. A comprehensive IAR includes databases, old sets of files, recent electronic files, collections of statistics, research and so forth.
Source: Open Data Handbook and Open Data Manual
Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS) ****
Definition: A scheme to set and assess standards for public sector bodies in allowing the re-use of their information. Any public sector body may apply to become IFTS accredited. However, all Crown bodies that hold a delegation of authority from the Controller of HMSO must become IFTS accredited. IFTS measures members' performance against the six principles of maximisation, simplicity, transparency, fairness, challenge and innovation. It considers both the commercial re-use of public sector information and non-commercial citizen access to information.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Information Provider ***
Definition: The person, creator or organisation providing the information for re-use under the Open Government Licence or the Non-Commercial Government Licence.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Intellectual property (rights) ****
Definition: A set of property rights that grant the right to protect the created materials. Intellectual property rights comprise trade marks, patents, registered designs copyright and database rights.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Licence (noun) ****
Definition: A legal document giving permission to use information.
Source: UK Government Licensing Framework
License (Verb) ****
Definition: The act of giving a formal licence (usually written) authorisation.
Source: UK Government Licensing Framework
Linked data ****
Definition: The term used to describe the recommended best practice for exposing, sharing and connecting items of data on the semantic web using unique resource identifiers (URIs) and resource description framework (RDF).
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Metadata ***
Definition: Data that describes or defines other data. Anything that users need to know to make proper and correct use of the real data, in terms of reading, processing, interpreting, analysing and presenting the information. Thus metadata includes file descriptions, codebooks, processing details, sample designs, fieldwork reports, conceptual motivations, etc., in other words, anything that might influence the way in which the information is used.
Source: OCED Glossary of Statistical Terms and www.sasc.co.uk/Guides/metadata.htm
Modelled data***
Definition: Information created by mathematical representation of data relationships; sometimes more reliable and internally consistent than sampled observations.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Mosaic/jigsaw effect ***
Definition: The process of combining anonymised data with auxiliary data in order to reconstruct identifiers linking data to the individual it relates to.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Non-Commercial Government Licence ****
Definition: The Non-Commercial Government Licence offers a legal solution to enable the provision and use of public sector information under a common set of terms and conditions at no charge for Non-Commercial use only. It enables any public sector information holder to make their information available for use and re-use under its terms. The main requirement for re-users is to attribute the information provider and source.
Source: UK Government Licensing Framework
Non-commercial use ***
Definition: Use that is not intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or private monetary compensation. For the purposes of the UK Government Licensing Framework, 'private monetary compensation' does not include the exchange of the Information for other copyrighted works by means of digital file-sharing or otherwise provided there is no payment of any monetary compensation in connection with the exchange of the Information.
Source: UK Government Licensing Framework
Ontology ****
Definition: Formal representation of knowledge as a set of concepts within a domain, and the relationships among those concepts.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Open access (academic) ***
Definition: Provision of free access to peer-reviewed academic publications.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Open data ****
Definition: Data which can be used, re-used and re-distributed freely by anyone - subject only at most to the requirement to attribute and share-alike. There may be some charge, usually no more than the cost of reproduction.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Open Data Commons ****
Definition: An Open Knowledge Foundation project run by its Advisory Council and like the Foundation is a not-for-profit effort working for the benefit of the general open knowledge community. Open Data Commons is the home of a set of legal 'tools' to help others provide and use open data.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Open Government Licence (OGL) *****
Definition: The Open Government Licence offers a legal solution to enable the provision and use of public sector information under a common set of terms and conditions. It enables any public sector information holder to make their information available for use and re-use under its terms. The main requirement for re-users is to attribute the Information Provider and source.
Source: UK Government Licensing Framework
Top of pagePersonal data ****
Definition: As defined by the Data Protection Act 1998, data relating to a specific individual where the individual is identified or identifiable in the hands of a recipient of the data.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Pseudonymised data ***
Definition: Data relating to a specific individual where the identifiers have been replaced by artificial identifiers to prevent identification of the individual.
Source: Open Data White Paper
Public domain ****
Definition: Works that are publicly available and in which the intellectual property rights have expired or been waived.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Public Sector Bodies *****
Definition: State, regional or local authorities, bodies governed by public law and associations formed by one or several such authorities or one or several such bodies governed by public law.
Source: EU PSI Directive
Public Sector Information (PSI) ****
Definition: The wide range of information that public sector bodies collect, produce, reproduce and disseminate in many areas of activity while accomplishing their Public Task.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Public task ****
Public task information is that which a public sector body must produce, collect or provide to fulfil its core role and functions, whether these duties are statutory in nature or are established through custom and practice. The term 'public task' features in the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 (SI 2005 No. 1515) and the INSPIRE Regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No. 3157). The National Archives provides guidance that assists public sector bodies to define and publish a statement of their respective public tasks.
Source: The National Archives
Raw data ***
Definition: In the context of PSI, raw data is data collected which has not been subjected to processing or any other manipulation beyond that necessary for its first use. Raw data, i.e. unprocessed data, is a relative term; data processing commonly occurs by stages, and the 'processed data' from one stage may be considered the 'raw data' of the next.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary modified by APPSI
Resource Description Framework (RDF) ***
Definition: RDF, a W3C standard, is the foundation of several technologies for modelling distributed knowledge and is meant to be used as the basis of the Semantic Web
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Re-use (noun/verb) *****
Definition: The use by persons or legal entities of documents held by public sector bodies, for commercial or non-commercial purposes other than the initial purpose within the public task for which the documents were produced. Exchange of documents between public sector bodies purely in pursuit of their public tasks does not constitute re-use.
Source: EU PSI Directive
Sample of Anonymised Records (SARs) **
Definition: A set of unit records available for research where key information has been removed to ensure anonymity.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Semantic Web ***
Definition: A web of data that can be processed directly and indirectly by machines.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Share-alike licence ****
Definition: A Creative Commons style licence that requires users of a work to provide the content under the same or similar conditions as the original.
Source: Open Data Handbook
Star rating **
Definition: In UK Linked Data, a system of ranking data sources that indicates ease of machine readability. APPSI subjective score for quality of a definition (qv).
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Synthetic population **
Definition: A particular application of simulated data that attempts to generate a complete base micro-view of individual subjects of interest.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Top of page
Taxonomy ****
Definition: The science or technique of classification.
Source: APPSI definition from web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Third party rights **
Definition: Information, the rights for which are not owned by the Information Provider or Licensor.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Trading Funds *****
Definition: An organisation (either within a government department or forming one) which is largely or wholly financed from commercial revenue generated by its activities. Its Estimate shows its net impact, allowing its income from receipts to be devoted entirely to its business.
Source: HM Treasury Glossary (Managing Public Money)
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) **
Definition: A string of characters used to identify a name or a resource over a network (typically the World Wide Web) using specific protocols.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) ****
Definition: A type of URI that identifies a resource via a representation of its network location.
Source: The National Archives Information Management Glossary
Unit Records ***
Definition: Individual items of information from surveys or observations that often contain confidential details.
Source: APPSI definition from Web searches, dictionaries or panel member proposal
Top of page
Value-added information (or data) ***
Definition: Raw data to which value has been added to enhance and facilitate its use and effectiveness by or for users. Also called derived data.
Source: A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation - glossary
APPSI Quality Score Key *****
- Score Key
- ***** Widely agreed definition or enshrined in legislation
- **** A sound definition; fit for purpose
- *** A working definition capable of improvement
- ** Usable but potentially confusing or ambiguous
- * A loose or contentious definition; not adequate
