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Distributed Access to Data Resources: Metadata Experiences from the NESSTAR Project

Explore the NESSTAR Project's efforts to increase data access and dissemination through metadata, providing tools for researchers and policy makers.

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Distributed Access to Data Resources: Metadata Experiences from the NESSTAR Project

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  1. Distributed Access to Data Resources: Metadata Experiences from the NESSTAR Project Simon Musgrave Data Archive, University of Essex

  2. n Reference Point nesstar • Data Archive is supplier of data for ‘secondary analysis’ to research community • Main focus is on metadata for dissemination • Key research project (FASTER, 2000-2001) is on examining and using metadata throughout the data process from concept, through collection to analysis and interpretation Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  3. n Setting the Scene nesstar The project aimed to increase massively the use of data by developing a set of generic tools that make it easier to: • locate multiple data sources across organisational and national boundaries • browse detailed information about these data, especially the descriptive and contextual information • tabulate and visualise these data quickly and easily for both naïve and experienced users • disseminate these data and documentation, in whole or part, in forms suitable for immediate use Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  4. User demand or technological determinism? • Technology • improves productivity of existing activities (document processing, data access) • creates new opportunities (new analysis techniques, interactive research, interoperability) • New opportunities have to be assessed and evaluated against the dreams and expectations of users • How can technological opportunities to be harnessed to make it as easy as possible for data analysts to derive knowledge as efficiently as possible?

  5. Types of End User • Librarians • Researchers • Students • Policy Makers • Journalists

  6. Types of Resource • Data • Micro • Aggregate • Geographical • Qualitative • Journals • Models • Analysis • People As much as possibleIdentifiable Understandable Usable Interactive

  7. n Types of data nesstar S-EDI is secondary EDI, in other words re-use of data collected for other purposes - source Statistics Netherlands Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  8. Role of Metadata Metadata is data about data, is all data metadata? Statistical metadata All the information needed for and relevant to collecting, processing, disseminating, accessing, understanding, and using statistical data (Statistics Netherlands)

  9. Importance of standards • Closed • Proprietary • De jure • De facto • Open Acronym attack

  10. Whose metadata standard do you use? • W3C • RDF - Resource Description Framework • XML Schema • OMG • XMI - XML Metadata Interchange; MOF Repository format • XML/EDI Group • XML Repository Standard • Meta Data Coalition • Open Information Model

  11. n Metadata Developments • Metadata is increasingly about machine to machine communication • Metadata should be embedded with the data wherever possible to facilitate process control • Structure, semantics and syntax become increasingly important to facilitate interoperability Goal is to create the semantic Web - a web of data that can be processed directly or indirectly by machines - leaving people to be more intuitive and creative

  12. n Upstream metadata nesstar • Statistical Concepts • Data processes • Storage structures • Classification databases • Survey questionnaires Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  13. n Downstream metadata nesstar • Availability • Data structure • Multi-lingual thesaurus • Geographical referencing • Analysis • Articles • Feedback Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  14. n Types of metadata (1) nesstar • Catalogue (DDI level 1 and 2) • Dublin Core • BIRON • Most on-line catalogue • Z39.50 • Thesaurus • Starting point for resource discovery • Find it - but then what? Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  15. Dublin Core More

  16. n Types of metadata (2) nesstar • Content (DDI level 4) • Data dictionary allowing detailed searching and browsing • Question text • Variable and value labels • Entry point to the actual data Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  17. n Types of metadata (3) nesstar • Contextual • the sky’s the limit • background - user guides, questionnaires • multi-media descriptions • teaching and learning • concepts Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  18. n Types of metadata (4) nesstar • Quality, e.g. • Methodology • Response rates • Responsible agent • Processing procedures Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  19. n Types of metadata (5) nesstar • People - repositories of informationexperts in • the subject matter • the analysis techniques • the data source • data and computer management Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  20. The Lifetime of Data Recursive Metadata The statistical production process (Secondary) use of statistical data Metadata systems should not only pass on all relevant information to the the end-users, but also allows the end users to contribute to the metadata conversation. • Metadata systems : • bridge the gap between • the production process and • the end-users • facilitate two-way communication • between producers and users

  21. n Types of metadata (6) nesstar • Bookmarks/hyperlinks • searches • datasets • analysis (tables, models etc.) • download • Run manually or by active agent Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

  22. The Electronic Journal • HTML and XML provide the facility to bring data and text together • The readers have to opportunity to participate in the research process directly - information flow is 2-way • Using, creating and sharing bookmarks On-line documents Data

  23. FASTER Objectives • To create a flexible and intelligent presentation system to access statistical and other data in a distributed 'virtual' environment. • Based on a Web/JAVA environment, and built around the careful specification of metadata content, it will allow the user to create their own personal data workbench. • Implement full access control to the underlying data, taking care of both data confidentiality issues (including disclosure control) and the commercial opportunities for the data

  24. n Partners Faster - Flexible Access to Statistics Table and Electron Resources

  25. n nesstar Nesstar - Networked Social Science Tools and Resources

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