Thursday, 26 September 2013

Computer Terminology/Glossary A-B-C

Algorithm: A finite list of well-defined terms for accomplishing some task that, given an initial state, will proceed through a well-defined series of successive states possibly culminating in an end state.

Application Programming Interface (‘API’): A source code interface that a computer application, operating system or 'library' (in computer science, a collection of sub-programs used to develop software) provides to support requests for services to be made of it by a computer program.
One function of such high-level interfaces is to interact with a database that renders HTML (see separate entry) code. Such interfaces enable other computer applications to interact with survey software (or other kinds of software).

Arc: A directed relationship between nodes in a network. 

Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’): the scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying thought and intelligent behaviour, and their embodiment in machines.

Authentication: Generic term for a set of procedures for determining that a user has rights to receive a given online service, such as access to an archived database.

Avatar: A representation of a human, animal or other animate object enabling the representation's participation in some form of online interaction.

Beeper studies: Experiential time sampling research whereby participants report by various means their activities in progress at the time a signal is activated by a device carried on or about the person. Responses were originally entered on a paper instrument but more recently include online response modes.

Beyond 20/20: A software application enabling exploration of online datasets, supporting display, subsetting, visualisation, charting and downloading.

Blog: A diary-like genre in which the 'blogger' records and/or comments on their own activity/beliefs and/or that of others, often including perspectives on current events, posting the 'blog' on the Web. May include audio and visual information as well as text, and the opportunity to comment on what is posted.

Computer Assisted Qualitative Data AnalysiS (‘CAQDAS’): Software for the analysis of qualitative data, chiefly text, but also audio, video and still images.

Cave: An immersive virtual environment in which interaction initiated by users occurs between figurative representations of interactants projected on walls of a room and gives the illusion of 3D. 

Chatroom: An online communications environment facilitating discussion between subscribed members.

Clickstream analysis: Analysis of how users negotiate a path around a website.

Client side: Computer resources such as programs or information that are held on the user’s computer rather than on or from the server to which the computer is linked. See also ‘server side’.

Collaboratory, collaboratories: Distributed research groups that work together via online technologies enabling data exchange, communication and real time collaboration over data transmitted across networks.

Common Gateway Interface (‘CGI’): A scripting language that allows various commands to be executed by the researcher’s Web server based on the actions of the respondent.

Common Logfile Format (‘CLF’): Hits defined as Web elements transferred from a server to the user’s browser. Common ‘log fields’ include the user’s IP address, timestamp from the server, request for the element or web page, the status of the request, and the number of bytes transferred.

Computational grid

Computer Supported Cooperative Work: A field of social and behavioural science concerned with the ways that people apply and relate to information technologies when they are mutually engaged in tasks using those technologies.

Cookie: An automated code enabling the unique identification of browsers and users' hypertext pathways.

Co-presence: Interaction between social actors that takes place in the same physical space rather than being computer-mediated.


Coverage error: When some part of a relevant population cannot be included in a survey sample.
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