Glossary

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The following table contains a list of some terms used in this wiki along with a brief explanation of each.

Term	Explanation
API	Short for Application Program Interface, which is a well-defined set of methods by which code in one application can make use of functionality in another.
case‑based model	A microsimulation model which sequentially simulates a set of independent cases, where each case consists of one or more entities. There is no coordination of time between cases.
OpenM++	A platform for developing, running and deploying microsimulation models
Modgen	A platform for developing and running microsimulation models on Windows. Predecessor of OpenM++
time‑based model	A microsimulation model in which time advances in a cooridnated way for all entities in a simulation.
replicate	A duplicate of a simulation, with some input parameters varied to represent uncertainty. For example, varying the input parameter containing the master seed for random number generation in a set of replicates causes variation in model results across those replicates, allowing assessment of the effect of Monte Carlo Error on model results.
MCE	See Monte Carlo Error
Monte Carlo Error	The uncertainty in aggregate results of a model due to the use of a Random Number Generator to sample distributions. Monte Carlo Error can be reduced by increasing population size or by averaging a larger number of replicate simulations.
RNG	See Random Number Generator
Random Number Generator	A deterministic algorithm which generates a sequence of apparently uncorrelated values which can be used to draw a sample from a statistical distribution
entity	An object which participates in a microsimulation model, such as a Person. An entity can have attributes and can evolve through time as the simulation progresses.
attribute	A characteristic of an entity, such as age.
identity attribute	An attribute which is identical to a mathematical expression involving other attributes