Data Definition Standards

The table below contains the basic elements of the Studytrax data definition and the defaults used if the Studytrax team assists with setup. Use the data definition spreadsheet (DataDictionaryTemplateBasic.xlsx) to ensure forms/CRFs/Questionnaires are set up correctly. Learn more about how to communicate the data definition here.

Attribute	What’s Needed	Default Used if no information provided
Variable Name	Descriptive Name
	Unique code (no spaces/special characters [underscore ok])
Variable Type	Numeric – What is the range (min / max)? Units?	No range, no unit
	Calculation - How calculated? What if missing some values?	All values required for a calculation
	Text - How many characters needed? Text variables require a limit (can range from 1 to 255 characters) Memo variables do not have a limit	Unlimited for questions like "Describe", "Comments"
	Date – What is acceptable range?	Any valid date can be entered
	Document – How many files and how large?
	Picklist (Coded list of value/label pairs, such as 0 = Male, 1 = Female). - What are the values and labels for all options? - do you want values displayed for data entry? - Can more than one option be selected?	0=No, 1=Yes Other lists would start with 0 and increment by 1 Values are not displayed Only one option can be selected
Other	Exportable – Can values be exported in dataset?	Exportable
	Missing Values – Will value/label pairs are defined as “Missing” (e.g., Missing = -9)?	No missing value definition set up if not specified
	Required - Must a value be entered?	Yes
	Skip Patterns - When is the variable/form either shown / hidden?	Always visible
	Target User - Will subjects or staff fill out the form?	Staff