title: A generic schema and data collection forms applicable to diverse entomological studies of mosquitoes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Standardized schemas, databases, and public data repositories are needed for the studies of malaria vectors that encompass a remarkably diverse array of designs and rapidly generate large data volumes, often in resource-limited tropical settings lacking specialized software or informatics support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from the majority of mosquito studies conformed to a generic schema, with data collection forms recording the experimental design, sorting of collections, details of sample pooling or subdivision, and additional observations. Generically applicable forms with standardized attribute definitions enabled rigorous, consistent data and sample management with generic software and minimal expertise. Forms use now includes 20 experiments, 8 projects, and 15 users at 3 research and control institutes in 3 African countries, resulting in 11 peer-reviewed publications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have designed generic data schema that can be used to develop paper or electronic based data collection forms depending on the availability of resources. We have developed paper-based data collection forms that can be used to collect data from majority of entomological studies across multiple study areas using standardized data formats. Data recorded on these forms with standardized formats can be entered and linked with any relational database software. These informatics tools are recommended because they ensure that medical entomologists save time, improve data quality, and data collected and shared across multiple studies is in standardized formats hence increasing research outputs.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania ; Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881 USA.
authors.forename: Samson S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kiware
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania ; Pacific Malaria Initiative Support Centre, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4006 Australia.
authors.forename: Tanya L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Zacharia J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Mtema
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Alpha D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Malishee
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Prosper
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaki
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania ; Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA UK.
authors.forename: Dickson
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lwetoijera
authors.affiliation: National Malaria Control Centre, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Javan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chanda
authors.affiliation: National Malaria Control Centre, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Dingani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chinula
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania ; Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA UK.
authors.forename: Silas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majambere
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA USA.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gimnig
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical Institute, Socinstrasse 57, Basel, CH 4002 Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania ; Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA UK.
authors.forename: Gerry F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Killeen