BDQ Controlled Vocabulary List of Terms

Title
BDQ Controlled Vocabulary List of Terms

Date version issued
2026-06-03

Date created
2025-05-10

Part of TDWG Standard
http://example.org/to_be_determined

Preferred namespace abbreviation
bdqval

This version
http://rs.tdwg.org/bdqval/terms/2026-06-03

Latest version
http://rs.tdwg.org/bdqval/terms/

Previous version

Abstract
This document is a reference for the BDQ standard. It covers some terms used in Test Specifications, and especially values used as bdqffdq:Parameters.

Authors
Lee Belbin (Blatant Fabrications), Arthur D. Chapman (Australian Biodiversity Information Services), Paul J. Morris (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University), John Wieczorek (Rauthiflor LLC)

Creator
TDWG Biodiversity Data Quality Interest Group Task Group 2: Data Quality Tests and Assertions

Bibliographic citation
TDWG Biodiversity Data Quality Interest Group Task Group 2: Data Quality Tests and Assertions. 2026. BDQ Controlled Vocabulary List of Terms. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG). http://rs.tdwg.org/bdqval/terms/2026-06-03

Status
Draft Standard for Review

Table of Contents

• 1 Introduction (non-normative)

  • 1.1 Purpose (non-normative)
  • 1.2 Audience (non-normative)
  • 1.3 Data Quality Vocabulary Terms (non-normative)
  • 1.4 Associated Documents (non-normative)
  • 1.5 Term List Distributions (non-normative)
  • 1.6 Status of the Content of this Document (normative)
  • 1.7 RFC 2119 key words (normative)
  • 1.8 Namespace abbreviations (non-normative)
  • 1.9 Key to Vocabulary Terms (normative)

• 2 Use of Terms (normative)

• 3 Term index (non-normative)

  • 3.1 Index By Term Name (non-normative)
  • 3.2 Index By Label (non-normative)

• 4 Vocabulary (normative)

• Glossary (non-normative)

• References (non-normative)

• Cite BDQ (non-normative)

1 Introduction (non-normative)

1.1 Purpose (non-normative)

The purpose of this document is to provide the full term list for the bdqval: controlled vocabulary, which supports the specification and use of BDQ Tests. The bdqval: vocabulary includes concepts used throughout the BDQ standard to describe Test parameters, data structures, Information Elements, source authorities, and special value cases such as Empty and NotEmpty relevant to the execution and behavior of Tests.

This term list defines the formal structure and meanings of these concepts and provides reference material for implementation and documentation purposes.

1.2 Audience (non-normative)

This document is intended for technical users who need a precise understanding of the vocabulary elements used in BDQ Test Specifications and reports. It will be particularly useful for:

• Implementers interpreting or extending BDQ Test logic
• Standards developers and data quality modelers working with BDQ vocabularies
• Analysts and system designers configuring parameterized data quality assessments
• Curators needing to understand the conceptual basis for different Test evaluations

Familiarity with RDF vocabularies and the Fitness For Use Framework is recommended for full comprehension, but the document is organized to be accessible for any reader needing detailed term definitions.

1.3 Data Quality Vocabulary Terms (non-normative)

The bdqval: vocabulary includes three groups of concepts used across the BDQ standard:

• Test Parameters (bdqffdq:Parameter) – concepts used to configure the behavior of Tests, including named parameters like bdqval:sourceAuthority.
• Information Elements – used by Multi Record Measure Tests to refer to aggregated or referenced values.
• Empty/NotEmpty Concepts – bdqval:Empty and bdqval:NotEmpty, which provide shared semantics for Tests dealing with missing or present values.

These terms ensure consistent representation and enable structured interpretation of Test configurations and outcomes.

1.4 Associated Documents (non-normative)

For the list and links to all associated documents see The Biodiversity Data Quality (BDQ) Standard.

1.5 Term List Distributions (non-normative)

1.6 Status of the Content of this Document (normative)

Sections may be either normative (defines what is required to comply with the standard) or non-normative (supports understanding but is not binding) and are marked as such.

Any sentence or phrase beginning with "For example" or "e.g.", whether in a normative section or a non-normative section, is non-normative.

Section 1.9 Key to Vocabulary Terms (normative) identifies which values in Section 4 are normative and which are non-normative.

1.7 RFC 2119 key words (normative)

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC 2119] and [RFC 8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.

1.8 Namespace abbreviations (non-normative)

The following namespace abbreviations are used in this document:

1.9 Key to Vocabulary Terms (normative)

The terminology used to describe the terms in this vocabulary follows the TDWG TDWG Standards Documentation Standard (SDS) (SDS). Each term definition includes the original RDF definition, and may also provide a TDWG-specific interpretation from the SDS, as well as a definition tailored to this local context.

2 Use of Terms (normative)

In an RDF context, a reference to a term in the bdqval: namespace MUST use the Term IRI (e.g., https://rs.tdwg.org/bdqval/terms/NotEmpty) or Term Qualified name (e.g., bdqval:NotEmpty). In a non-RDF context in which resources may be used by software (e.g., a value in a spreadsheet or database table) the Controlled Value String (local name, e.g., NotEmpty) SHOULD be used. In a purely human context a label (e.g., Not Empty) MAY be used.

3 Term index (non-normative)

3.1 Index By Term Name (non-normative)

(See also 3.2 Index By Label (non-normative))

Data

bdqval:Empty | bdqval:NotEmpty

bdqffdq:Parameter

bdqval:annotationAlertIf | bdqval:annotationSystem | bdqval:assumptionOnUnknownBiome | bdqval:defaultGeodeticDatum | bdqval:defaultOccurrenceStatus | bdqval:earliestValidDate | bdqval:geospatialLand | bdqval:includeEventDate | bdqval:latestValidDate | bdqval:maximumValidDepthInMeters | bdqval:maximumValidElevationInMeters | bdqval:minimumValidDepthInMeters | bdqval:minimumValidElevationInMeters | bdqval:sourceAuthority | bdqval:spatialBufferInMeters | bdqval:taxonIsMarine

bdqffdq:AbstractInformationElement

bdqval:AggregatedTestResponseOutcomes | bdqval:AllAmendmentTestsRunOnSingleRecord | bdqval:AllValidationTestsRunOnSingleRecord

3.2 Index By Label (non-normative)

(See also 3.1 Index By Term Name (non-normative))

Data

Empty | NotEmpty

bdqffdq:Parameter

annotationAlertIf | annotationSystem | assumptionOnUnknownBiome | defaultGeodeticDatum | defaultOccurrenceStatus | earliestValidDate | geospatialLand | includeEventDate | latestValidDate | maximumValidDepthInMeters | maximumValidElevationInMeters | minimumValidDepthInMeters | minimumValidElevationInMeters | sourceAuthority | spatialBufferInMeters | taxonIsMarine

bdqffdq:AbstractInformationElement

AggregatedTestResponseOutcomes | AllAmendmentTestsRunOnSingleRecord | AllValidationTestsRunOnSingleRecord

4 Vocabulary (normative)

Glossary (non-normative)

A glossary of acronyms and terms additional to those in the various namespaces can be found in the Glossary (non-normative) section of the Biodiversity Data Quality (BDQ) landing page.

References (non-normative)

The references for the BDQ standard can be found in the References (non-normative) section of the Biodiversity Data Quality (BDQ) landing page.

Cite BDQ (non-normative)

To cite BDQ in general, use the peer-reviewed article:

Chapman AD, Belbin L, Zermoglio PF, Wieczorek J, Morris PJ, Nicholls M, Rees ER, Veiga AK, Thompson A, Saraiva AM, James SA, Gendreau C, Benson A, Schigel D (2020). Developing Standards for Improved Data Quality and for Selecting Fit for Use Biodiversity Data. Biodiversity Information Science and Standards 4: e50889. https://doi.org/10.3897/biss.4.50889

To cite this document specifically, use the following:

TDWG Biodiversity Data Quality Interest Group Task Group 2: Data Quality Tests and Assertions. 2026. BDQ Controlled Vocabulary List of Terms. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG). http://rs.tdwg.org/bdqval/terms/2026-06-03

Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)

This content made open by Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) is licensed under a Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY) License.