definition
strict definition
data class
The level of research and degree of protection required for data in a particular field.
Data class is an indicator of a particular data field's accessibility to research. Data with a higher class is more difficult to find, and therefore requires a higher degree of protection.
The class concerns how readily information in the field can be researched. Greater difficulty is associated with stronger protection for that data.
A source type instead describes where a particular piece of information came from and how directly it supports the fact. The research difficulty of the field and the evidence for one value are separate concerns.
Related definitions
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date
Time values of any precision describing when data is valid or entered, including actual and projected dates. -
files
Documents connected with database objects which support or illustrate data. -
source type
The medium through which data is received, classified by its form and its closeness to reliable original evidence.