What is a picklist in the CASRAI Dictionary?

A picklist is a controlled value-list: a closed, enumerated set of permitted values for a field. Examples include the set of document-version values, access-type values, or contributor roles. Picklists keep data consistent across systems by ensuring a field can only hold one of a fixed, agreed set of values rather than free text.

How do picklists relate to object templates and dictionary terms?

Fields on object templates are frequently bound to a picklist, which constrains the values that field may take. A picklist value can in turn link to a dictionary term that defines it in full. Picklists, terms, and object templates form the three layers of the CASRAI vocabulary.

Are the picklists free to reuse?

Yes. The picklists are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC-BY 4.0), with no paywall and no registration. You may reuse and adapt them in your own systems provided you give appropriate credit to CASRAI.

Dictionary · Controlled vocabularies

Controlled picklists

Closed, enumerated value-lists that keep research-information fields consistent across systems — document version, access type, contributor roles, and more.

Object templates →A–Z term index →

What picklists are

Controlled value-lists

A picklist is a controlled vocabulary in its simplest form: a fixed, agreed set of permitted values for a field. Where a free-text field invites inconsistency — “Accepted Manuscript” versus “accepted-ms” versus “AAM” — a picklist constrains the field to one of an enumerated set, so that every system stores and exchanges the same value. They are the controlled-vocabulary primitives that the rest of the CASRAI Dictionary builds on.

These 10 picklists are bound to fields on the dictionary’s object templates and, where a value maps to a defined concept, link through to the corresponding dictionary term. Each picklist page lists its full set of enumerated values, with definitions where they exist. Everything here is published under CC-BY 4.0.

All picklists

10 picklists

Picklist14 values

Contributor Roles

A high-level classification of the diverse roles performed in the work leading to a published research output in the sciences. Its purpose to provide transparency in contributions to scholarly published work, to enable improved systems of attribution, credit, and accountability.

/dictionary/picklist/contributor-roles

Picklist

Field of Application

Indicate the area to which the person's discipline applies.

/dictionary/picklist/field-of-application

Picklist8 values

Licence Types

Types of content licences.

/dictionary/picklist/licence-types

Picklist2 values

Org ID Types

The nominal type of unique ID used for an organization.

/dictionary/picklist/org-id-types

Picklist21 values

Output ID Types

The nominal types of unique ID used for a research output.

/dictionary/picklist/output-id-types

Picklist35 values

Output Types

Types of research or scholarly outputs.

/dictionary/picklist/output-types

Picklist2 values

Person ID Types

The nominal type of unique ID used for a person.

/dictionary/picklist/person-id-types

Picklist

Research Classification

List of each instance of expertise as classified by discipline, field of application and topic.

/dictionary/picklist/research-classification

Picklist2 values

Review Types

The type of review conducted.

/dictionary/picklist/review-types

Picklist5 values

Reviewer Roles

The role played by a reviewer on a specific review.

/dictionary/picklist/reviewer-roles

Frequently asked

Picklist FAQ

What is a picklist in the CASRAI Dictionary?: A picklist is a controlled value-list: a closed, enumerated set of permitted values for a field. Examples include the set of document-version values, access-type values, or contributor roles. Picklists keep data consistent across systems by ensuring a field can only hold one of a fixed, agreed set of values rather than free text.
How do picklists relate to object templates and dictionary terms?: Fields on object templates are frequently bound to a picklist, which constrains the values that field may take. A picklist value can in turn link to a dictionary term that defines it in full. Picklists, terms, and object templates form the three layers of the CASRAI vocabulary.
Are the picklists free to reuse?: Yes. The picklists are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC-BY 4.0), with no paywall and no registration. You may reuse and adapt them in your own systems provided you give appropriate credit to CASRAI.