Data provenance is the background knowledge that enables a piece of data to be interpreted and used correctly within context. The importance of tracking provenance is widely recognized, as witnessed by significant research in various areas including e-science, homeland security, and data warehousing and business intelligence. In order to further advance the research on data provenance, however, one must first understand the research that has been conducted to date and identify specific topics that merit further investigation. In this work, we develop a framework based on semiotics theory to assist in analyzing and comparing existing provenance research at the conceptual level. We provide a detailed review of data provenance research and compare and contrast the research based on d semiotics framework. We conclude with an identification of challenges that will drive future research in this field.