Dear Colleagues,
Science, technology, and artificial intelligence are advancing at remarkable speed, and new concepts enter the scientific literature in clinical research and biostatistics almost every day. Yet the Turkish equivalents of these concepts do not always achieve shared usage at the same pace, and naturally they may not be reflected just as quickly in the dictionary and terminology work of the Turkish Language Association (TDK). In this process, we also see the same scientific term being used with different Turkish equivalents across different disciplines.
Many valuable dictionary and terminology studies have been carried out in Türkiye in biostatistics and related fields. Building on these efforts, KlinBiS is launching the KlinBiS Glossary as one of our first collaborative scientific initiatives, with the aim of contributing to the development of a shared scientific language through the strength of our multidisciplinary structure.
Our glossary will cover current terminology used not only in clinical biostatistics, but also in clinical research methodology, epidemiology, research ethics, clinimetrics and measurement, data science, artificial intelligence, evidence synthesis, and regulatory science. Alongside the scientific literature, we also aim to evaluate together how concepts appearing in international guidelines and standards, particularly ICH guidance, should be used in Turkish.
Our goal is not simply to create a static list that places Turkish equivalents next to English terms. We aim to build a “living glossary” that respects the scientific meaning and context of each term, is supported by references, and continuously evolves as new concepts emerge.
For this reason, we invite our valued colleagues to share their views on the Turkish equivalents and definitions of existing terms, to point out expressions they believe should be corrected or improved, and especially to propose new terms they encounter in the scientific literature or in their own fields when they find themselves asking: “How should we use this concept in Turkish?”
Submitted suggestions will be evaluated from scientific and terminological perspectives, and appropriate contributions will be included in updated versions of the glossary. Colleagues who make scientific contributions to the development of the glossary will be acknowledged by name in the “Acknowledgements to Contributors” section.
The KlinBiS Glossary will be freely available on our website to students, researchers, clinicians, academics, and everyone working in the health sciences, and it will continue to grow through our shared contributions as science advances.
At KlinBiS, we find it especially meaningful to begin one of our first collaborative scientific initiatives by building a shared scientific language. Creating a common scientific language is not merely about agreeing on words; it is also about discussing the research question, method, ethics, analysis, and the evidence we generate within a shared framework of scientific meaning.
We invite all our colleagues to contribute to this shared effort and thank you in advance for your valuable contributions.