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SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENT TYPES • REFERENCE GLOSSARY

Scientific Document Types

German–English terminology guide to scholarly publications, research documentation, study formats and philosophical writing.

Edition: 19 October 2026 • 169 entries • 12 sections

English spelling: US. The 12 sections count the terminology tables, not the following guidance sections. The German companion is aligned to version 1.1; neither companion is designated as a translation of the other. See also the publication preparation guide and audit checklist.

Important distinction

There is no single universal, exhaustive taxonomy. Some labels are standardized publication or resource types; others describe study design, methodological approach, document status or a conventional scholarly genre. Translations depend on discipline and context.

Six different dimensions

English Example
Publication type article, book, report
Study design cohort study, experiment
Methodology qualitative, quantitative
Research record lab notebook, protocol
Publication status preprint, accepted
Field / genre (distinct concepts) ontology (field), treatise (genre)

Contents

Followed by selection guide, terminology notes and sources.

01 — Original research & journal publications

Published research and specialist contributions.

English Short description
Original Research Article Presents new research findings.
Journal Article Article in a scholarly journal; umbrella term.
Research Paper Substantial written report of research.
Short Communication Concise format for limited or early results.
Research Note Short, focused observation or finding.
Methods Paper Presents or improves a research method.
Method Validation Study Assesses reliability and suitability of a method.
Replication Study Tests whether findings recur in a new study.
Reproduction Study Attempts to obtain reported results using the original data/code.
Negative Results Article Reports informative, non-confirmatory findings.
Data Paper / Data Descriptor Describes a research dataset as a citable output.
Software Paper Describes research software and its use.
Resource Article Introduces a resource for other researchers.
Technical Report Documents technical investigation and findings.
Research Report Summarizes a project’s aims, methods and outcomes.
Case Report Describes one case in its disciplinary context.
Case Series Reports a series of related cases.

17 entries

02 — Reviews & evidence syntheses

Analyze or synthesize existing research.

English Short description
Literature Review Overview of existing scholarly literature.
Narrative Review Thematic synthesis, not necessarily systematic.
Systematic Review Uses explicit search, selection and appraisal methods.
Meta-Analysis Statistically combines results of multiple studies.
Scoping Review Maps the extent and nature of available evidence.
Umbrella Review / Overview of Reviews Synthesizes multiple reviews.
Rapid Review Streamlined evidence review under time constraints.
Integrative Review Integrates diverse research approaches.
Critical Review Critically evaluates theories, arguments and research.
State-of-the-Art Review Summarizes the current state of knowledge.
Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Integrates findings from qualitative studies.
Meta-Synthesis Develops higher-level interpretations from qualitative findings.
Living Systematic Review Updated as new evidence becomes available.

13 entries

03 — Philosophical & theoretical genres

These terms include established genres and descriptive labels.

English Short description
Philosophical Treatise Extended, systematic philosophical argument.
Philosophical Monograph Self-contained scholarly book on a focused topic.
Philosophy Journal Article Scholarly article addressing a philosophical question.
Philosophical Essay Interpretive, often less formally structured argument.
Systematic Philosophical Inquiry Structured inquiry; a descriptive label.
Ontological Treatise Treatise on being, existence and entities.
Metaphysical Treatise Treatise on fundamental principles of reality.
Epistemological Inquiry Examines knowledge, justification and its limits.
Theory Paper Develops or revises a theoretical account.
Conceptual Paper Clarifies concepts and develops a framework.
Argumentative Paper Defends a thesis through explicit reasoning.
Position Paper States and argues for a particular position.
Critical Response / Reply Responds critically to a published argument.
Formal Proof Derives a proposition within a formal system.
Axiomatic System / Framework Sets out axioms, definitions and deductions.

15 entries

04 — Empirical study & inquiry forms

Many entries are STUDY DESIGNS, not document genres.

English Short description
Experimental Study Studies effects using controlled interventions.
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Compares groups using random allocation.
Observational Study Observes associations without assigned intervention.
Cohort Study Studies defined groups over time, prospectively or retrospectively.
Case-Control Study Compares cases and controls, often retrospectively.
Cross-Sectional Study Measures variables at one time point.
Longitudinal Study Observes change across multiple time points.
Quasi-Experimental Study Studies interventions without full randomization.
Field Study Research in a real-world setting.
Survey Study Analyzes systematically collected survey responses.
Interview Study Collects and analyzes interview data.
Ethnographic Study Studies practices and meanings in a social setting.
Qualitative Study Studies meanings and processes interpretively.
Quantitative Study Analyzes numerical data.
Mixed-Methods Study Combines qualitative and quantitative methods.
Simulation Study Examines models and scenarios via simulation.
Secondary Data Analysis Reanalyzes existing data for new questions.

17 entries

05 — Books, edited works & theses

Long-form scholarly works and qualification texts.

English Short description
Scholarly Book Book presenting scholarly content.
Monograph Self-contained work, usually focused on one subject.
Edited Volume Book compiling chapters from multiple contributors.
Book Chapter Authored chapter within an edited book.
Handbook Structured reference work for a field.
Textbook Teaching-oriented introduction to a subject.
Encyclopedia Entry Reference entry on a concept or topic.
Bachelor’s Thesis Undergraduate degree thesis.
Master’s Thesis Graduate degree thesis.
Diploma Thesis Thesis for a diploma degree.
Doctoral Dissertation / PhD Thesis Research thesis submitted for a doctorate.
Thesis by Publication / Article-Based Dissertation Doctoral thesis incorporating published papers.
Habilitation Thesis Advanced qualification thesis in certain systems.
Festschrift / Commemorative Volume Honorary collection dedicated to a scholar or institution.

14 entries

06 — Conferences, presentations & scholarly exchange

Formats for presenting and discussing research.

English Short description
Conference Paper Full written paper presented at a conference.
Conference Abstract / Meeting Abstract Short summary of a conference contribution.
Extended Abstract Longer summary with methods and results.
Conference Proceedings Collection of published conference contributions.
Research Poster / Conference Poster Visual summary of a research project.
Presentation Slides Slides for scholarly presentation.
Lecture Manuscript / Talk Script Written text of a talk or lecture.
Keynote Lecture Invited or principal conference address.
Workshop Report Documents workshop activities and outcomes.

9 entries

07 — Research planning, registration & ethics

Planning, approval and transparency documents.

English Short description
Research Concept Note Brief outline of research questions and approach.
Research Proposal Sets out aims, methods and feasibility.
Grant Proposal Application for research funding.
Study Protocol Specifies study procedures before research begins.
Study Preregistration Records hypotheses/analyses before assessing data.
Registered Report Article format with protocol review and possible in-principle acceptance before results are known.
Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) Prespecifies statistical analyses.
Review Protocol Specifies methods for a planned review.
Data Management Plan (DMP) Plans data collection, storage and sharing.
Research Ethics Application Requests ethics review of a study.
Ethics Approval / Ethics Committee Opinion Records an ethics committee decision.
Participant Information Sheet Explains a study’s aims, procedures and risks.
Informed Consent Form Records informed voluntary consent.
Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) Assesses privacy risks of planned processing.
Study Registration / Trial Registration Registers a study and its key details.
Risk Assessment Identifies and assesses project or safety risks.

16 entries

08 — Documentation during the research process

Supports traceability, quality assurance and reproducibility.

English Short description
Laboratory Notebook / Lab Notebook Chronological record of laboratory work.
Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) Digital record of research procedures.
Field Notebook / Field Journal Notes and observations from fieldwork.
Observation Record / Observation Log Systematic record of observed events.
Experimental Protocol / Experiment Record Describes design, procedure or execution of an experiment.
Measurement Log Records measurements, conditions and timestamps.
Interview Guide Structured questions and prompts for interviews.
Questionnaire Standardized data collection instrument.
Case Report Form (CRF) / Data Collection Form Form for consistent data capture.
Codebook Explains variables, categories and coding.
Data Dictionary Defines fields, data types and meanings.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Defined instructions for repeatable procedures.
Quality Assurance Plan Defines checks and quality criteria.
Change Log / Version History Records changes to materials and methods.
Audit Trail Traceable record of actions and modifications.

15 entries

09 — Research data, software & digital artifacts

Not all outputs are text documents.

English Short description
Research Dataset Structured data produced by research.
Raw Data Original collected or generated data.
Cleaned Dataset Data cleaned according to documented rules.
Dataset Documentation Explains dataset provenance, structure and use.
README File Instructions for contents, use and reproduction.
Research Software Software used to conduct or analyze research.
Source Code Human-readable implementation of software.
Software Documentation Explains functions, interfaces and operation.
Computational Notebook Combines code, output and explanatory text.
Workflow Specification / Workflow Description Defines steps in a computational analysis.
Replication Package Bundles data, code and replication instructions.
Reproducibility Report Documents reproduction attempts and differences.
Model Card Documents an AI model’s capabilities and limits.
Datasheet for Datasets Documents dataset creation, properties and use.
Benchmark Report Compares performance using defined tests.
Repository Deposit / Dataset Record Archived or citable deposited research asset.

16 entries

10 — Guidelines, standards & knowledge transfer

Formats for guidance, standardization and decision support.

English Short description
Guideline Structured guidance for a field.
Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations for clinical decisions.
Consensus Statement Statement agreed by an expert group.
Position Statement Formal position issued by an organization.
White Paper Substantive report on a problem or approach.
Policy Brief Concise evidence summary for decision-makers.
Policy Report Extended analysis of policy options.
Standard Formal specification or requirement.
Technical Specification Defines technical properties and interfaces.
Recommendations Document Presents reasoned recommendations.
Best-Practice Guide Describes established good practices.
Methodological Guidance Explains how to apply a research method.

12 entries

11 — Manuscript status, peer review & corrections

Includes statuses, not all distinct genres.

English Short description
Manuscript Text prepared before final publication.
Preprint Public version before formal journal peer review.
Submitted Manuscript Version submitted for editorial consideration.
Accepted Manuscript (AAM) Author version accepted after review.
Version of Record (VoR) Official published version of an article.
Peer-Review Report Evaluation by scholarly referees.
Response to Reviewers / Rebuttal Letter Addresses critiques and explains revisions.
Editorial Editorial framing or perspective.
Letter to the Editor Short scholarly response to a publication.
Commentary Contextual analysis or critique of a work.
Correction / Erratum Corrects errors in a publication.
Retraction Notice Announces a formally retracted publication.
Expression of Concern Flags serious unresolved concerns about a work.
Supplementary Material Additional data, methods or appendices.

14 entries

12 — Summaries, reference & teaching texts

Supporting texts, meta-documents and teaching materials.

English Short description
Abstract Brief summary of question, method and findings.
Graphical Abstract Visual summary of principal findings.
Plain Language Summary Accessible explanation without excessive jargon.
Executive Summary Decision-oriented summary of a report.
Research Brief Concise presentation of key findings.
Annotated Bibliography Source list with explanatory or evaluative notes.
Reference List / Bibliography List of cited or relevant literature.
Glossary Defines important technical terms.
Lecture Notes / Course Notes Written instructional course material.
Study Guide Structured resource for studying a subject.
Science Communication Article Communicates research to non-specialists.

11 entries

13 — Selection guide

Which name fits which output?

14 — Special case: Ontology and Metaphysics

“Ontology” and “Metaphysics” name fields of inquiry, not document types. “Systematic Ontological and Metaphysical Treatise” is a meaningful descriptive phrase, not an officially conferred publication category.

For THE DOT

15 — Scholarly status

Document type is not the same as validity. “Peer-reviewed” describes a review process, not a guarantee of correctness; “preprint” typically identifies a version preceding formal journal review. “Scientifically informed” means engaging with relevant scientific evidence, not empirically confirming every metaphysical claim.

16 — Sources and reference classifications

These sources provide classifications or guidance within their stated scope; they do not standardize every term listed here. Pages were checked on 19 October 2026; this is an access date, not a claim about an edition year. NLM, ICMJE, and EQUATOR primarily concern medicine or health research, not mandatory formats for philosophy. DFG guidance is a research-integrity reference; specific institutional and funding obligations depend on applicability.

[1] NLM / PubMed — Publication Types

Controlled vocabulary of publication types, especially biomedical.

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/pubtypes.html

[2] NLM — MEDLINE Policies

Policies for MEDLINE indexing, publisher practices, and preservation; not a taxonomy of philosophical genres.

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medline/medline_policies.html

[3] DataCite — Resource Types

Metadata categories for diverse research outputs.

https://support.datacite.org/docs/what-are-the-resource-types-for-datacite-dois

[4] EQUATOR Network — Reporting Guidelines

Reporting guidelines for health research by study design; use only where relevant.

https://www.equator-network.org/

[5] ICMJE — Recommendations

Editorial recommendations for medical journals; not a universal philosophy standard.

https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/

[6] ICMJE — Manuscript Preparation

Explains IMRAD and reporting by article type in medical journals; does not require IMRAD for philosophical arguments.

https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/preparing-for-submission.html

[7] DFG — Kodex zur guten wissenschaftlichen Praxis

German framework for research integrity.

https://www.dfg.de/de/grundlagen-themen/grundlagen-und-prinzipien-der-foerderung/gwp/kodex

[8] DFG — Forschungsdatenempfehlungen

Discipline-specific research data guidance.

https://www.dfg.de/de/grundlagen-themen/digitale-themen/forschungsdaten/empfehlungen

Usage notes

Terms vary across disciplines, journals and national higher-education systems. Follow the applicable publisher or institutional guidance for formal submissions. Study designs, methods, statuses and digital artifacts are intentionally included as adjacent categories for practical reference.

Reproducibility and replication labels vary by field; state which data, code, and procedures are reused. This guide is a working reference, not an official classification or evidence that THE DOT has been empirically verified.