The ABCs of CDEs: How Common Data Elements Support Interoperability in Research (RDSI CoP)

Recording from the Research Data Stewardship Initiative (RDSI) Community of Practice event held on October 24, 2024: "The ABCs of CDEs: How Common Data Elements Support Interoperability in Research". 

Have you heard of common data elements (CDEs), but aren’t sure what they are or how they’re used? The National Library of Medicine (NLM) defines CDEs as standardized questions, variables, or measures with specific sets of responses that are common across multiple studies. Although CDEs are currently most common in health sciences research, there is growing support for their application to the social sciences as well. Moreover, consistency of measurement is a key consideration for researchers in any discipline that are concerned with the I in FAIR data: interoperability. CDEs foster interoperability between studies by ensuring consistent measurement of key concepts across populations and settings. In this session, we’ll give an introduction to CDEs, with examples that illustrate what they are and how they foster comparability of findings. We’ll also hear from researchers who have been involved in establishing and promoting CDEs in new research studies.

The beginning of the event was not recorded, so this recording starts after Megan Chenoweth began providing an introduction to Common Data Elements (CDEs). Speakers: 

1. Megan Chenoweth: "Introduction to Common Data Elements (CDEs)"
2. Dr. David Williams: "The HEAL Common Data Elements"
3. Dr. James McNally: "So You Made a CDE: Now What?"