Universe

A Universe contextualizes a Unit Type by providing additional restriction characteristics. The class Universe covers both the GSIM 1.2 obects of Universe and Population, conflating them into a single class. A universe may be organized into hierarchical sub-universes. In addition to the standard name, label, and description, the universe may provide a generation code (how the universe is differentiated or split out from another universe), a definition of hierarchical sub-settings for the universe, and an attribute that indicates if the description of the universe is stated in terms of what the universe includes. DDI Lifecycle does not have a Population class as found in GSIM 1.2. It extends the definition of a Universe to include specification of time and geography in contextualizing a Unit Type. In GSIM 1.2 a Universe is a defined class of people, entities, events, or objects with no specification of time and geography, contextualizing a Unit Type. A Population refines a Universe by specifying time and/or geography.

Properties

Name	Type		Description
UniverseName	NameType	0..n	A name for the Universe. May be expressed in multiple languages. Repeat the element to express names with different content, for example different names for different systems.
Label	LabelType	0..n	A display label for the Universe. Supports multiple language versions of the same content as well as optional formatting of the content. Repeat for labels with different content, for example, labels with differing length limitations.
Description	StructuredStringType	0..1	A description of the content and purpose of the Universe. Supports multiple language versions of the same content as well as optional formatting of the content.
DefiningConceptReference	Concept	0..1	A concept that defines or aids in understanding the content of the universe. For example the Universe “Males” may link to the concept of “Male”.
UnitTypeReference	UnitType	0..1	Reference to a unit type being associated with this conceptual variable. TypeOfObject should be set to UnitType.
TypeOfUnit	CodeValueType	0..1	The entity type associated with this conceptual variable. For example, individuals, families or households, groups, institutions/organizations, administrative units, etc. Supports the use of an external controlled vocabulary.
LocationValueReference	LocationValueType	0..n	Reference to specific LocationValue for the Universe as described in a GeographicLocation.
GeographyOfUniverse	StructuredStringType	0..1	A description of the content and purpose of the Universe. Supports multiple language versions of the same content as well as optional formatting of the content.
TimePeriod	DateType	0..n	Reference to specific time period for the Universe. Repeat for non-continuous time periods.
UniverseGenerationCode	CommandCodeType	0..n	An expression of the universe in terms of the code used to generate or define it. For example how a given universe may be differentiated within a parent universe.
SubUniverseClassReference	SubUniverseClass	0..n	A sub-universe class provides a definition to the universes contained within it. For example the Sub-Universe Class of Gender for the Universe Resident Population may contain the Universe Males and the Universe Females
IsInclusive	boolean	0..1	The default value is “true”. The description statement of a universe is generally stated in inclusive terms such as “All persons residing in Europe”. Occasionally a universe is defined by what it excludes, i.e., “All persons residing in Europe except for those residing on U.S. Military bases”. In this case the value would be changed to “false”.

Properties Inherited from Versionable

Name	Type		Description
URN	string	1..1
Agency	string	1..1
ID	string	1..1
Version	string	1..1
UserID	UserIDType	0..n	Allows for the specification of identifiers other than the specified DDI identification of the object. This may be a legacy ID from DDI-C, a system specific ID such as for a database or registry, or a non-DDI unique identifier. As the identifier is specific to a system the system must be identified with the UserID structure.
UserAttributePair	StandardKeyValuePairType	0..n	A system specific user defined property of the object expressed as a key/value pair. As this is specific to an individual system the use of controlled vocabularies for the key is strongly recommended.
VersionResponsibility	string	0..1	Person or organization within the MaintenanceAgency responsible for the version change. If it is important to retain the affiliation between and individual responsible for the version and his/her agency, it may be included in this notation. This is primarily intended for internal use.
VersionResponsibilityReference	Agent	0..1	Reference person or organization within the MaintenanceAgency responsible for the version change, as described in an OrganizationScheme. If it is important to retain the affiliation between and individual responsible for the version and his/her agency, a Relation should be created between the individual referenced here and his/her organization. This is primarily intended for internal use.
VersionRationale	VersionRationaleType	0..1	Textual description of the rationale/purpose for the version change and a coded value to provide an internal processing flag within and organization or system. Note that versioning can only take place on objects owned by the specified DDI Agency. If you are creating a local instance of an object from another agency for current or future modification use BasedOnObject. If the changes being made result in what you determine to be new object rather than a version of a previous object, i.e. the change is too extensive to consider it a version of the existing object, create a new object and use BasedOnObject to provide a link to the object or objects that were a basis for the new object.
BasedOnObject	BasedOnObjectType	0..1	Use when creating an object that is based on an existing object or objects that are managed by a different agency or when the new object is NOT simply a version change but you wish to maintain a reference to the object that served as a basis for the new object. BasedOnObject may contain references to any number of objects which serve as a basis for this object, a BasedOnRationalDescription of how the content of the referenced object was incorporated or altered, and a BasedOnRationalCode to allow for specific typing of the BasedOnReference according to an external controlled vocabulary.
RelatedOtherMaterialReference	OtherMaterial	0..n	The inclusion of an existing OtherMaterial by reference. Use for any type of OtherMaterial not specifically addressed by an inline description for such as ExternalAid in QuestionItem.
VersionDate	cogsDate	0..1	Date of version using the union set BaseDateType. Duration should not be used in this field, even though allowed by the ISO format enforced by the parser.
IsPublished	boolean	0..1	Indicates that the maintainable will not be changed without versioning, and is a stable target for referencing.

Item Type Hierarchy

• Versionable

  • Universe

Relationships

The following types reference this type.

• CategoryGroup

• CodeListGroup

• ConceptGroup

• ConceptualVariableGroup

• ControlConstructGroup

• DevelopmentActivityGroup

• GeographicLocationGroup

• GeographicStructureGroup

• Group

• InstructionGroup

• InstrumentGroup

• ManagedRepresentationGroup

• MeasurementConstruct

• MeasurementGroup

• NCube

• NCubeGroup

• OrganizationGroup

• OtherMaterialGroup

• PhysicalInstanceGroup

• PhysicalStructureGroup

• ProcessingEventGroup

• ProcessingInstructionGroup

• QualityStandardGroup

• QualityStatementGroup

• QuestionConstruct

• QuestionGroup

• RecordLayoutGroup

• RepresentedVariableGroup

• ResourcePackage

• SampleFrame

• SamplingInformationGroup

• StudyUnit

• SubUniverseClass

• UnitTypeGroup

• UniverseGroup

• UniverseScheme

• Variable

• VariableGroup

• CoordinateRegionType

• PopulationType

• StratificationRationaleType