Scope - Data Set Specification
The following information is applicable to data set specifications only.
Definition
A description of the circumstances under which the collection of specified data are required or recommended.
Obligation
Optional completion.
Development rules
The scope should be expressed precisely and unambiguously so that the specified data can be collected under the same circumstances by different data collectors.
The statement should clearly identify all boundaries between those circumstances where collection is appropriate and those circumstances where it is not. These boundaries may potentially include geography, sources of funding, administering authorities, the type of services provided or the legal or administrative status of the people receiving services.
More than one boundary may be relevant to the scope of the collection. Complex boundaries may be explained with the use of an example.