Quellgruppe

Quellgruppe, literally “source group” in German, is a term used in various fields to designate the group of sources from which information, data, or influence originates. The exact meaning is not standardized and depends on the discipline; authors typically define its scope in context to avoid ambiguity.

In data management and information governance, a Quellgruppe refers to the set of source systems, data feeds, or files from which data are extracted before transformation and loading. It serves to document provenance and support traceability within data pipelines, and is often contrasted with a target group (Zielgruppe) or Zielsystem.

In archival science and historical research, the Quellgruppe denotes the primary sources consulted for a topic, such as manuscripts, official documents, or eyewitness accounts that underpin analysis before interpretation or synthesis.

In linguistics or philology, the term may describe the source varieties or languages that contribute material to a comparative study, philological reconstruction, or etymological analysis.

In sociological or market research contexts, the Quellgruppe can refer to the source population or initial cohort from which a sample is drawn, with emphasis on origin and selection criteria.

Usage and scope: The term is pragmatic and field-specific. Researchers typically specify what counts as part of the Quellgruppe (for example, which data sources, documents, or populations) and how provenance is established, to ensure methodological clarity.

See also: provenance, data provenance, sources, archival sources.