Difference between revisions of "Documentation Terminology"
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*''Examples include but are not limited to: Notebooks, scientific papers, web pages, user guides, word processing documents, spreadsheets, data dictionaries, PDF’s, custom binary and ASCII formats, and many others — each with associated storage and preservation strategies.'' | *''Examples include but are not limited to: Notebooks, scientific papers, web pages, user guides, word processing documents, spreadsheets, data dictionaries, PDF’s, custom binary and ASCII formats, and many others — each with associated storage and preservation strategies.'' | ||
| − | + | More often than not, the scientific process is documented, stored, and circulated using different tools and approaches depending on the needs of an exclusive group within the scientific community. This customized, often unstructured approach may work well for independent investigators or in the confines of a particular community; but for users outside of these small groups, it creates significant complications with discovering, accessing, using, and understanding (Space keeper - link to Metadata Recommendations – Background) for an explanation of these 4 processes) the data. | |
Revision as of 18:40, May 27, 2015
Established metadata terminology is the result of a multi-decade, cooperative effort between metadata experts in NOAA, NASA and other U.S. Federal Agencies. The selection below is intended to provide a framework of basic terminology in order to facilitate understanding of fundamental metadata concepts. More in-depth information and application examples are available in Habermann, 2014.
METADATA CONCEPTS:
A metadata concept is a way of describing contextual information – independent of dialect.
It is these concepts within the metadata that make the data discoverable, accessible, and usable. Metadata concepts can be described at a general level or include more detailed information.
Ex: “Spatial Extent” is a high level metadata concept that can be addressed in a general manner; or it can include more detailed concepts like bounding latitude/longitude box or geographic identifiers.
DIALECTS:
Documentation: A set of unstructured written, drawn, presented or recorded representations of thought(s).
- Examples include but are not limited to: Notebooks, scientific papers, web pages, user guides, word processing documents, spreadsheets, data dictionaries, PDF’s, custom binary and ASCII formats, and many others — each with associated storage and preservation strategies.
More often than not, the scientific process is documented, stored, and circulated using different tools and approaches depending on the needs of an exclusive group within the scientific community. This customized, often unstructured approach may work well for independent investigators or in the confines of a particular community; but for users outside of these small groups, it creates significant complications with discovering, accessing, using, and understanding (Space keeper - link to Metadata Recommendations – Background) for an explanation of these 4 processes) the data.
