Glossary

Data Bank:

a collection of computer stored data, structured according to their natural relationships.

Data Unit:

the minimum recorded entity of the AQUIS data bank. The pieces of information relative to a farm, a farming operation, a case study, etc., are identified through the data unit code.

AQUIS System Manager:

Officer in charge of the AQUIS system at each computer centre. Responsible for the maintenance of the AQUIS package, and the data bank integrity.

Chapter:

each data unit is divided into Chapters. Each Chapter contains information on a component related to aquaculture, e.g., Feeds, Diseases, etc.

Input Data Sheets:

special forms designed to facilitate the collection and feeding of data to the computer.

Data Fields:

item of information, e.g., country name, temperature, etc. It is mandatory to fill in the data fields identified in the Input Data Sheets by shaded boxes; all the other data fields need be filled in only if data are available. The number of spaces indicates the maximum length of information to be entered.

Subfields:

data fields are divided into subfields when additional information on the subject is available, or when the information included is not sufficient per se, e.g., "Water characteristics" has nine subfields (Chapter 2, data field 10) to summarize average minimum and maximum water salinity, temperature and depth.

Alphanumeric (sub) fields:

data fields which can be filled in with letters and numbers including punctuation marks, e.g., 10 West Street, N.Y.

Numeric (sub) fields:

data fields which can be filled in with numerical characters only.

Keyword:

specific terms (words) which are used to identify information to the computer, e.g., keyword for species name (as listed in Appendix B, page B.4).

Data Bank:	a collection of computer stored data, structured according to their natural relationships.
Data Unit:	the minimum recorded entity of the AQUIS data bank. The pieces of information relative to a farm, a farming operation, a case study, etc., are identified through the data unit code.
AQUIS System Manager:	Officer in charge of the AQUIS system at each computer centre. Responsible for the maintenance of the AQUIS package, and the data bank integrity.
Chapter:	each data unit is divided into Chapters. Each Chapter contains information on a component related to aquaculture, e.g., Feeds, Diseases, etc.
Input Data Sheets:	special forms designed to facilitate the collection and feeding of data to the computer.
Data Fields:	item of information, e.g., country name, temperature, etc. It is mandatory to fill in the data fields identified in the Input Data Sheets by shaded boxes; all the other data fields need be filled in only if data are available. The number of spaces indicates the maximum length of information to be entered.
Subfields:	data fields are divided into subfields when additional information on the subject is available, or when the information included is not sufficient per se, e.g., "Water characteristics" has nine subfields (Chapter 2, data field 10) to summarize average minimum and maximum water salinity, temperature and depth.
Alphanumeric (sub) fields:	data fields which can be filled in with letters and numbers including punctuation marks, e.g., 10 West Street, N.Y.
Numeric (sub) fields:	data fields which can be filled in with numerical characters only.
Keyword:	specific terms (words) which are used to identify information to the computer, e.g., keyword for species name (as listed in Appendix B, page B.4).