Frequently Used Terms

Modified on Tue, 6 Jan at 3:29 PM

1.4.6 Frequently Used Terms

The following table displays terms that are frequently used within OpenClinica.

TermDefinition
StudyA study is a collection of events and forms that contain participant data.
ParticipantA participant (sometimes referred to as a subject) is a person who provides data for the study.

  • If the Participate module is activated, participants can enter data themselves.
  • If the Randomize module is activated, participants can be randomly assigned to groups (e.g., placebo or treatment) without bias from demographics such as age, sex, or gender.
EventAn event is a collection of one or more forms. Events can be:

  • Visit-based, non-repeating: A scheduled occurrence (e.g., Baseline)
  • Visit-based, repeating: A repeatable scheduled or unscheduled occurrence (e.g., Cycles in Oncology trials, Unscheduled Visits)
  • Common, repeating: An unscheduled but repeatable occurrence (e.g., Adverse Event)
  • Common, non-repeating: An unscheduled, one-time occurrence (e.g., Termination)
FormA form (or CRF) is an electronic record of participant data that can include:

  • Items – individual data fields (e.g., blood pressure, date of visit).
  • Constraints – rules that define acceptable input values (e.g., numeric ranges, required fields).
  • Relevance logic – conditional rules that show or hide fields based on prior responses.
  • Calculations – auto-derived values (e.g., BMI from height and weight).
  • Metadata – labels, instructions, and coding standards to ensure consistent data entry.

Users with the appropriate level of form access can enter data into a Form.

  • If the Participate module is activated, a form can be published as a Participate Form, allowing participants to enter data from their own devices.
  • If the Consent module is activated, a form can be published as an eConsent Form, allowing participants to provide consent in a manner compliant with 21 CFR Part 11.
Study DesignerStudy Designer is the interface where Data Managers create Events and Forms.
Study RunnerStudy Runner is the interface where users enter data into the study in either Test or Production environments. Depending on your access level, you may be able to:

  • Manage participants / events
  • View/enter data
  • Create, update or close queries
  • Perform Source Data Verification (SDV)
  • Import data
  • Extract data

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