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

[Amber Leahey]

Interesting topic, I'm not that familiar with formal quality frameworks for assessing metadata, but I am curious to learn more. A lot of this is done informally as Wendy mentions, and depending on the context and discipline quality is may be assessed differently. 

As a digital repository housed in a library, we view the quality of metadata in terms of completeness mostly. We measure completeness against a defined set of DDI-Codebook fields, outlined in a best practise guide. Templates are provided for quality control. Sometimes this means datasets and accompanying metadata are reviewed and revised ongoing and we have a general QC tracking list for tracking work at the file level. We also view our metadata quality in terms of consistency, DDI and the tools we use help us with that at a more syntactic level, but also more at the semantic level, we use structured topic categories and attempt to define the context of a dataset and its relation to other datasets. For example, tagging keywords and related keywords, use of parallel titles, series titles, etc. although our keyword list isn't the cleanest, and we are continually striving to improve the accuracy of search results. 

Others?

Amber Leahey
Data Services Metadata Librarian
Scholars Portal, Ontario Council of University Libraries
416 978 6177
amber.leahey at utoronto.ca
________________________________________
From: alliance-experts-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu [alliance-experts-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu] on behalf of Mari Kleemola [mari.kleemola at uta.fi]
Sent: April-25-14 5:27 AM
To: Marion Wittenberg
Cc: alliance-experts at icpsr.umich.edu; Data Documentation Initiative Users Group
Subject: Re: [Alliance-experts] quality of metadata

Hi Marion,

I agree that your question is an important one, and I'd also be
interested to hear experiences and thoughts about this. (Wendy - thank
you for you informative reply.)

WP7 in the Data without Boundaries project is currently studying
metadata issues like standard selection and usage. My literature review
revealed many studies about assessing metadata quality (none of which
were DDI), but not so many about assessing the quality of a metadata
standard. However, a common agreement for metadata quality seems to be
"fitness for purpose".

Thanks,
Mari

--
Mari Kleemola
Information Services Manager
FSD Finnish Social Science Data Archive
33014  UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE, FINLAND

tel. +358 40 190 1437 / www.fsd.uta.fi


On 24.4.2014 19:35, Wendy Thomas wrote:
> 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 <mailto:marion.wittenberg at dans.knaw.nl>>
> wrote:
>
>     Hi,
>
>     Does anyone know if research has been done on the quality of DDIÂ
>     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
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
> --
> Wendy L. Thomas                         Â
> Â Â Â Phone: +1 612.624.4389
> Data Access Core Director                 Fax:   +1
> 612.626.8375
> Minnesota Population Center             Email: wlt at umn.edu
> <mailto:wlt at umn.edu>
> University of Minnesota
> 50 Willey Hall
> 225 19th Avenue South
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