Enclosure (1) to COMDTINST 5230.42A
Definition: A distance measured in miles.
The question "distance of what?" has not been answered by this definition. The Prime
Word is missing. To create a standard data element name from this definition would
require additional information. There is, therefore, no way to reconstruct this example
name with the definition as is. An example of a good definition would be:
Flight distance of an aircraft measured in miles
Reconstructed DE: AIRCRAFT FLIGHT DISTANCE MILES
(Mod
/Prime
/Class
/Qual)
Comment: Aggregate data elements - The following examples qualify as aggregate data
element groups. Data elements contained in an aggregate group are usually related by a
common Prime Word. To maintain the relationships among data element names and to
allow data element names to maintain their validity, the core Prime Word should appear
in each data element name within the group. Data elements contained in a database
table can very often be represented in this way. Each of the data element names must be
able to stand on their own with definitions that accurately define that data element.
Example 1: EQUIPMENT CATEGORY NAME AND MODEL
(Prime
/Class
/Class
/Prime)
Note that the following data elements are contained in the same aggregate group related to
the common Prime Word EQUIPMENT:
Definition: A description of equipment.
Reconstructed DE: EQUIPMENT CATEGORY IDENTIFIER
(Prime
/Mod
/Class)
Reconstructed DE: EQUIPMENT NAME
(Prime
/Class)
Reconstructed DE: EQUIPMENT MODEL NUMBER
(Prime
/Mod
/Class)
Rule 5: Each data element name shall contain a sufficient number of Modifiers and
Qualifiers to fully describe it (up to four modifiers per Prime Word and one modifier plus two
qualifiers per Class Word).
Example 1: DELIVERY DATE DESIRED
(PRIME
/Class/Mod)
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