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Controlled Vocabulary

Many of the fields in CEDEN can only be completed by approved terms, or "controlled vocabulary". Using controlled vocabulary makes your data understandable to others and increases comparability among different data sources. The collection of controlled vocabulary terms for a specific field is known as a "LookUp List". If you have questions on specific controlled vocabulary values your Regional Data Center can assist in matching your data with the valid value lists.

The Lookup Lists page allows you to view (HTML) or download (XLS) controlled vocabulary lists for submitting data to CEDEN. New values are added to the lists each week as they are updated in the CEDEN system. Please check here for updates, as needed.

In addition to using controlled vocabulary, using consistent combinations of certain fields also increases data usability and quality. This idea is enforced through only allowing approved combinations of analyte, fraction, method, matrix, and unit, which together are called a "constituent". There is a LookUp List for constituents so if you are using a combination of these that has not yet been recorded in CEDEN, it will need to be approved via the New Vocabulary Request Template.

SWAMP has developed a standard list of analyte, matrix and unit combinations which is encouraged by the State Board for all data users to follow:

If there are new values you would like to suggest for inclusion in the CEDEN system, please complete the New Vocabulary Request Template. Send the completed template to your Regional Data Center or the CEDEN emailbox.

 

 

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