The meaning of the word “dataset” is ambiguous, changing with context.

University of Oxford

David M. Shotton

The meaning of the word "**dataset**" is ambiguous, changing with
context.  In [FaBiO](http://purl.org/spar/fabio/) , the FRBR-aligned
bibliographic ontology, we define "dataset" at the conceptual level
(i.e. as a frbr:Work) thus:

*fabio:Dataset*: "A collection of related facts, often expressed in
numerical form and encoded in a defined structure."

In situations demanding precision in terminology, such as data
repository metadata and data citation, I think it is wiser to avoid the
use of the term "dataset", and instead to use the terms "**data file**"
and "**data package**", as the entities that data repositories handle
and to which identifiers pertain.

In FaBiO, a data file is defined as follows:

*fabio:DataFile*: "A realisation of a *fabio:Dataset* (a *frbr:Work*)
containing a defined collection of data with specific content and
possibly with a specific version number, that can be embodied as a
*fabio:Digital Manifestation* (a *frbr:Manifestation* with a specific
format) and represented by a specific *fabio:ComputerFile* (a
*frbr:Item*) on someone's hard drive."

FaBiO also has the class

*fabio:MetadataDocument* "A document that contains metadata information
describing one or more characteristics of an entity", which is a
realization of *fabio:Metadata***  
**"A separate work that provides information describing one or more
characteristics of a resource or entity".

Using [ORE](http://www.openarchives.org/ore/1.0/datamodel), a data
package containing data files and a metadata manifest can be defined as
type of *ore:Aggregation*.  However, ORE is not sufficiently expressive
to meet the need of repositories who may wish to refer specifically to
data packages, to manifests and to the landing pages displaying metadata
relating to data packages and individual data files in their RDF
metadata. For this reason, we have developed two tiny new ontologies,
DaPO, the Data Package Ontology, and LaPO, the Landing Page Ontology,
that provide the missing nomenclature, as will be detailed in a future
blog post.


The meaning of the word “
<strong>
 dataset
</strong>
” is ambiguous, changing with context.

Messaggi di Rogue Scholar

Nomenclature for data publications and citations