MeasuredWith

MeasuredWith is a metadata convention used in scientific data and experimental records to designate the instrument, method, or apparatus employed to obtain a measurement. It functions as a concise descriptor that adds essential context to numeric results, helping to interpret accuracy, precision, and comparability.

In practice, measuredWith is typically stored as a dedicated field in data schemas or metadata blocks, alongside values, units, and timestamps. It can reference instrument models, measurement methods, or software routines used to derive a result. For datasets with multiple measurements, the field can be populated per observation or per series, and may be accompanied by subfields for model, serial number, calibration status, and operator.

Usage guidelines emphasize consistency and clarity. Prefer standardized instrument identifiers or controlled vocabularies when possible, and document any nonstandard methods in a related description field. When multiple instruments contribute to a single value, it may be appropriate to capture a primary measuredWith entry and a secondary note detailing supplementary methods or post-processing steps.

MeasuredWith relates to broader measurement practice by linking recorded results to instrument calibration, traceability, and uncertainty assessments. It supports reproducibility and data integration across studies, repositories, and publications by making measurement provenance explicit.

Example: a measurement entry might include "measuredWith: Thermo Fisher Scientific iCap Q instrument, model Q-150, serial 98765, calibrationDate: 2023-09-12" to accompany the reported value and unit.