[DDI-users] [Alliance-experts] quality of metadata

[Wendy Thomas]

Hi Marion,

Interesting question and rather multi-faceted. The "quality" of DDI
metadata can be viewed in terms of coverage and content. More has been done
in terms of content but in an informal way. From the beginning DDI
determined what was needed in terms of object coverage based on norms in
the social sciences and particularly social sciences archives (preservation
and discovery). The intent (see a great presentation by Ann Green at NADDI
2014) was to cover the objects needed to inform the future user regarding
where the data came from and how applicable it was to the intended use.
This is way beyond discovery and technical usability, it goes into the
intent of the data and features of the methodology, collection and
processing which may affect its suitability for use.

DDI initially covered all the content of a "well constructed" codebook for
a social science data file. We have extended this over the years to provide
additional information on provenance (exactly how data was processed) and
collection information. Currently we are working on including additional
sources of data, development of data capture content (question development
and testing, biomarkers, qualitative data etc.). Over the years this has
been a bit of give an take. DDI has been treated as input to documents
covering metadata quality as well as learning from them.

Currently we are working with the NSIs creating the Generic Statistical
Information Model (GSIM) which is informed by the metadata Quality
Frameworks of their organizations. We are making sure we both reflect the
recommended content as well as provide a means of linking to these Quality
Frameworks and how they impact the content and quality of the metadata and
data described in DDI.

With all of that there has been little formal review of how well the
coverage of DDI reflects the recommended coverage within various data
communities. This should probably be formalized.

As for the content of metadata expressed in DDI there has been no work that
I am aware of. Others may be more involved in this area than I am.

Hopefully others will jump into this conversation as it is an important
one. Not only for users in general but for the DDI community in terms of
advancing the use of DDI and in informing potential users of its
applicability in terms of meeting the requirements of quality frameworks
within their own field.

Wendy

p.s. I recommend contacting Ann Green directly as I'm not sure if she is on
this list


On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 5:06 AM, Marion Wittenberg <
marion.wittenberg at dans.knaw.nl> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Does anyone know if research has been done on the quality of DDI metadata.
> I am working on a deliverable for the EU DASISH project on metadata
> quality and I would like to reference to these projects, if any.
> I know of one project in the context of the DwB project (Pascal Heus et
> al).
> Are there more?
>
> Best, Marion Wittenberg
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> alliance-experts mailing list
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> http://lists.icpsr.umich.edu/mailman/listinfo/alliance-experts
>
>


-- 
Wendy L. Thomas                              Phone: +1 612.624.4389
Data Access Core Director                 Fax:   +1 612.626.8375
Minnesota Population Center             Email: wlt at umn.edu
University of Minnesota
50 Willey Hall
225 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
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