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PSDI Terminology

This diagram summarises what PSDI provides at a top-level:

Top level PSDI project outputs

These terms are defined in the "PSDI top-level terms collection" of psdi-voc.jsonld as below:

Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure, PSDI programme, PSDI partner project, PSDI output, PSDI platform, service, tool, guidance, metadata, resource theme, data, resource, community activity

Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure​

(PSDI)

An Integrated Data Infrastructure* that directly supports researchers in the physical sciences in the UK to manage, transform and share their data. *'IT Infrastructure' - 'All of the hardware, software, networks, and facilities that are required to develop, test, deliver, monitor, manage, and support IT services' [ITIL Glossary of Terms English v.1.0]

PSDI programme​

The project to produce the Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure, its PSDI platform, resources and community activities.

PSDI partner project​

Project developed by PSDI partners in collaboration with PSDI core team to deliver a user-facing resource theme or community activity that directly supports a Physical Sciences research activity and that can be accessed through the PSDI platform.

PSDI output​

Top-level deliverable* of the PSDI project . *' Deliverable, N.' - 'Chiefly in plural. Something which may be delivered or provided; spec. a tangible result of a development process.' Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, July 2023

PSDI platform​

The PSDI platform is the interface* between the users and the outputs and description of the PSDI programme. *'user interface' - 'An interface that enables information to be passed between a human user and hardware or software components of a computer system.' [IEEE Standard Computer Dictionary, 1991]

service​

Each service is online software - either used directly within the PSDI platform itself or within a web application accessed from it - that is related to data (either facilitating access to data, or performing data processing functions, or providing guidance and learning about data and data best practices). Some services are PSDI-wide and used within different resource themes and some are specific to a particular resource theme.

examples: search service, conversion service, analysis service

tool​

A tool is downloadable software* - downloaded via the PSDI platform and subsequently run on one's own non-PSDI infrastructure - that is related to data (either facilitating access to data, or performing data processing functions, or providing guidance and learning about data and data best practices). *'Application Software, N.' - 'Software designed to carry out a specific task other than one relating to the operation of the computer itself; application programs regarded collectively' Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025.

examples: Python library, container image

guidance​

Advice, information and learning made available to PSDI users and contributors via the PSDI platform to inform and educate users about PSDI, its resources, and best practices on topics that are relevant to the physical sciences community, such as data management, reproducibility, and electronic notebooks.

examples: knowledge base article, FAQs, training resource, journal article, tutorial, interactive course, video, documentation, case study

metadata​

The PSDI metadata is 'data about data' that describes the PSDI platform and its resource themes, data, services and guidance to facilitate its access and document its provenance.

resource theme​

A set of user-facing resources (data and/or services and/or tools and/or guidance) that directly supports a Physical Sciences research activity and that can be accessed through the PSDI platform and are grouped by a particular Physical Sciences research theme and the project that produced them (e.g. PSDI partner project) or common access point.

data​

Physical Sciences data associated with a resource theme, and available for access or download through the PSDI platform.

examples: database, dataset, data collection, repository

resource​

A general term for data or a service or a tool or guidance that directly supports a Physical Sciences research activity and is made available for access or download through the PSDI platform.

community activity​

Activity* organised as part of the PSDI programme to guide, support and build up its community of users and partners in their use and development of PSDI outputs and data best practices, and foster collaborations related to it. *'Activity, N., Sense 3.a.' - 'Something which a person, animal, or group chooses to do; an occupation, a pursuit. Frequently in plural.' Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, July 2023.

examples: event, conference, town hall meeting, training course

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