Computer Terminology/Glossary O-P-Q-R

Ontology: In computer science, a knowledge base that holds semantic relationships between terms and is used to reason about a substantive domain. In computer science, ontologies generally consist of a ‘semantic network’ linking individual objects, classes of objects, attributes or features describing those objects, and relationships between objects. The meaning of the term is distinct from its usage in philosophy.

Open Source: Software whose source code is made freely available by the programmer so that others may customise it and/or elaborate its functionality.

Opt-in panel: These comprise individuals who have volunteered to participate in an ongoing survey or series of surveys, often following a solicitation on a website.

Opt-out: A source of bias that occurs when survey sample members choose not to participate in a survey. The opt-in samples that feature in non-probability surveys are also a source of bias, because there is seldom any information available about those that chose not to opt in.

Paradata: Data about the process of data collection, in an online survey context including information like the amount of time to answer a particular question.

Phishing: A criminal activity in which individuals attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive personal information such as passwords and bank card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

Podcast: A digital media file, or a series of such files, that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers. The term can refer either to the content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated.

Pop up: An associated link that appears on the users screen when visiting a website, often used to invite users to respond to an online survey.

Radio button: Response display for participants in web surveys; the participant clicks on the graphical representation of a ‘button’ applicable to their preferred response (the buttons resemble those on 1950s automobile radios).

Radio Frequency Identification Device (‘RFID’): A remote sensing technology providing position location and other information using small wireless transponders that return a unique ID number when activated by a suitable radio frequency signal. May be embedded in inanimate or animate objects.

Random Digit Dialing (‘RDD’): A random sampling method used in telephone surveys.

Raster data: Pixel-based geographical data. Also see ‘Geographical Information System’ and ‘Vector data’.

Really Simple Syndication (‘RSS’): A set of Web feed formats used to publish frequently-updated content like blog entries, podcasts or news headlines.

Redundant Array of Independent Disks (‘RAID’): A security system comprising redundant hard drives and daily back-up.

Relational database: A database that maintains a set of separate, related files (tables), but combines data elements from the files for queries and reports when required. Such databases are organised around a data table in which a row refers to a single case and a column refers to a specific attribute.

Resource Definition Format (‘RDF’): A format providing the means of representing relationships between elements of document content.

Resource discovery: Location of datasets satisfying an analytic requirement from repositories and archives, particularly in an online environment.

Roll-off: Occurs when a respondent exits an online survey instrument before completing all the questions. Increases measurement error.

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