What is big data? Building a fuller understanding of the term

A quick review of the literature shows that there are as many definitions of the term ‘big data’ as there are individuals using the term. This paper attempts to come to a fuller understanding of the term. Thirty-three definitions were collected from the literature for analysis using the ‘theme-rheme’ concept. The collected definitions were broken down into basic ideas and condensed into a final definition. The ‘theme-rheme’ formula suggested here was utilized from Halliday [1] systemic functional linguistics (SFL) theory. This formula helps identify the theme or topic of the definition and the part in which the theme was developed—the central ideas or defining features. Based on the analyses conducted, this paper defines big data as a dataset(s) of high volume, variety, velocity, value, and complexity gathered from various real-world sources through devices and virtual-world sources and analyzed through advanced and unconventional platforms and systems to create value. This definition is expected to enhance the understanding of the term ‘big data’ among industries, theorists, researchers, instructors, and students.