sampleDescriptionIndex

sampleDescriptionIndex is a data reference used in information systems to connect a sample record with its descriptive metadata stored separately. It functions as an index or key that points to a separate description object, enabling efficient management and retrieval of descriptive information without duplicating text across records.

The primary purpose of sampleDescriptionIndex is to support consistent and scalable metadata handling. By decoupling descriptive details from individual sample entries, systems can enforce uniform descriptions, facilitate deduplication, support versioning, and improve searchability and provenance tracking across datasets and repositories.

In typical data models, sampleDescriptionIndex appears as a foreign key or reference field. In relational schemas, it may link to a descriptions table; in document-oriented or graph databases, it may reference a standalone description document or node. The index value can be numeric or alphanumeric and may be designed as a simple key or a composite identifier that includes sample type or version information.

A description record referenced by sampleDescriptionIndex often contains fields such as descriptionText, language, specimenType or sampleType, collectionMethod, storageConditions, dateCollected, provenance, and annotations. These records provide context about the sample while remaining reusable across related samples.

Variants of the term exist in different schemas, where it may be called descriptionIndex, sampleDescIndex, or metadataDescriptionIndex. See also metadata, data model, data catalog, laboratory information management systems, and controlled vocabularies and ontologies.