Overview of the IRW Data Standards

Data standards are an essential mechanism of increasing reusability and interoperability of data amongst researchers. As such, they play a critical role in increasing the extent to which science is FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable). The IRW contains several different ‘branches’ that utilize distinct data standards. We focus here on describing the differences between these data standards (with pointers to complete descriptions of the specific standards).

The data standards

In all cases, we are interested in cross-classified responses. The differences amongst the standards pertain to the nature of either the cross-classification or the response.

• The core IRW data standard: Responses here are from a probe used to measure some trait of some object. Note that the probes and the objects are categorically different. Further, the responses are ordinal. Additional detail can be found here.

• The ‘competitions’ data standard: Responses here are ordinal but from direct comparison/competition between the entities that we are interested in measuring (e.g., there is no categorically distinct probe). See here for more details.

• The ‘nominal’ data standard: Similar to the core data standard, a probe is being used to measure some trait but the responses are nominal rather than ordinal. See more here.

Note that we also have a branch which contains simulated or synthetic data formatted to meet the core standard.