In the context of database queries, what does the term "criteria" refer to?

The term "criteria" in the context of database queries refers to the conditions that must be met for the query to return specific results. When constructing a query, criteria act as filters that determine which records from the database will be included in the final output based on the specified conditions. For example, if a query is looking for customer records where the purchase amount is greater than $100, the condition "purchase amount > 100" serves as the criteria for selecting specific rows that fulfill this requirement.

The other options represent different aspects of a database query but do not encapsulate the concept of criteria. The specific fields to be returned relates to the output structure of the query, while the tables involved specify where the data is sourced. The types of joins to be applied pertain to how data from multiple tables is combined. Together, these elements contribute to the overall query, but criteria specifically focus on the conditions that filter records.