science

Reference data

Reference data is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Reference data rather than just read about it. In short: Reference data is data used to classify or categorize other data. Typically, they are static or slowly changing over time.

Key takeaways

Reference data belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Reference data to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Reference data from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Reference data is data used to classify or categorize other data. Typically, they are static or slowly changing over time. Examples of reference data include:

Units of measurement Country codes Corporate codes Fixed conversion rates e.g., weight, temperature, and length Calendar structure and constraints Reference data sets are sometimes alternatively referred to as a "controlled vocabulary" or "lookup" data. Reference data differs from master data. While both provide context for business transactions, reference data is concerned with classification and categorisation, while master data is concerned with business entities. A further difference between reference data and master data is that a change to the reference data values may require an associated change in business process to support the change, while a change in master data will always be managed as part of existing business processes. For example, adding a new customer or sales product is part of the standard business process. However, adding a new product classification (e.g. "restricted sales item") or a new customer type (e.g. "gold level customer") will result in a modification to the business processes to manage those items.

Externally-defined reference data For most organisations, most or all reference data is defined and managed within that organisation. Some reference data, however, may be externally defined and managed, for example by standards organizations. An example of externally defined reference data is the set of country codes as defined in ISO 3166-1.

Reference data management Curating and managing reference data is key to ensuring its quality and thus fitness for purpose. All aspects of an organisation, operational and analytical, are greatly dependent on the quality of an organization's reference data. Without consistency across business process or applications, for example, similar things may be described in quite different ways. Reference data gain in value when they are widely re-used and widely referenced. Examples of good practice in reference data management include:

Formalize the reference data management Use external reference data as much as possible Govern the reference data specific to your enterprise Manage reference data at enterprise level Version control your reference data

See also Master data Data modeling Master data management Enterprise bookmarking Data architecture Transaction data Code (metadata)

References

Further reading Chisholm, Malcolm (2001). Managing Reference Data in Enterprise Databases. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. ISBN 1558606971.

External links Microsoft MSDN, Reference Data Services in DQS, 2012

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Reference data

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Reference data claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Reference data before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Reference data ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Reference data

In research: Reference data appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Reference data in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Reference data is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Data management, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Reference data outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Reference data in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Reference data means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Reference data out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Reference data in simple terms?

Reference data is data used to classify or categorize other data. Typically, they are static or slowly changing over time.

Why does Reference data matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Reference data?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Reference data.