It is important to have consistent standards within labs and collaborators, but the choice of these specific standards can vary. Imagine searching a directory of similar names, all without a consistent format.įor frustrating examples of poor metadata standards (or no standards), try searching Twitter for "#otherpeoplesdata." Figures _ and _ are two examples. Kimberly Backman Smith, John (John) JSMITH. Take the following sequence of names: Au,Vickie Shuet Fong Vickie Au Backman,Kimberly J. And that's to say nothing of the problematic date formats in Excel, which Christie, a quantitative ecologist, describes in detail.Įven naming formats have standards. If you're recording dates and you don't clarify which format you're using, you've added a frustrating element of ambiguity. However, without a standard date format of some kind, one person might read as June 2nd. ![]() How would you write February 6th, 2019? You could write it just like that - February 6th, 2019 - or, or 2/6/19, or even, and the list continues. Think about something as simple as writing the date at the top of a page. Individual choices can vary from project to project the key is to ensure that enough information is provided to create context for the data. When you create metadata for a piece of data - whether that data be code, a paper, images, spreadsheets, et cetera - it can help to answer the following questions:įigure _ shows some of the many possible categories of information that metadata can encompass. Quality metadata also makes data easier to preserve and more persistent over time. (Dataedo presents details about these and other examples.) When you browse your iTunes or Spotify music library for a song, you are browsing metadata (Figure 4).Ĭreating metadata for your research projects and data leads to increased accessibility, helps data retain its context, accommodates version control (through distinguishing multiple versions), and can satisfy the legal requirements of repositories and funders. The cover of a book is metadata that provides context about its contents (Figure 3). For example, most modern-day cameras, like those in smartphones, record metadata like date, time, settings, and location when photos are taken (Figure 2). We use metadata often without even realizing it. A card catalog, like that in Figure 1, is a classic example:īeyond card catalogs, however, metadata is present in many aspects of our lives. In relation to research data, the term is relatively new (since the mid-1990s), but the concept or construct of metadata is as old as our organization of information. When documenting your research data, ask yourself if it passes the "Ward test" - that is, if you disappeared, would someone else be able to access, interpret, and analyze your data? If the answer is "No," you should improve your documentation and metadata. ![]() ![]() Metadata is becoming increasingly important as the culture of data sharing spreads, although it's important to remember that metadata makes it easier for you to use your own data too. Having metadata helps when researchers re-analyze their own data, use other people's data, use existing data for a different project, or collaborate with others. Metadata are "data about data" or "data in context." They are pieces of information that provide context for data.
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