An official website of the United States government
United States Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information,
make sure you're on a federal government site.
The site is secure.
The
https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any
information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
Office of Survey Methods Research
SHARE ON:
More Information
Published Year: 2009
Survey/Program(s): General Methodology
Catalog: Statistical Survey Paper
Download PDF
Data and Metadata from the Terminological Perspective
Abstract
Using the theory of terminology for special languages, we investigate data, their representations, the semantics of data, and allowed computations. These three components for understanding data are related, and terminology supplies the link. The key insight, using terminology, is that a datum is represented by a signifier that stands for a certain kind of concept. The concept is part of the semantics. The kind of concept describes the computation. The paper contains a thorough exploration. A rich descriptive framework is the result, and this framework may significantly alter the way users find statistical data. Currently, users usually must know which agency has the data they are looking for. Reducing or eliminating this dependence will greatly increase the ease and flexibility with which users find US federal statistical data.