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This article discusses the challenges and progress of implementing DDI-compliant codebooks in Ontario universities, with a focus on the University of Guelph. It highlights the adoption of Nesstar and collaboration with other institutions to create a central portal for data and metadata.
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DDI in Ontario Putting the Pieces Together A. Michelle Edwards, Ph.D. Data Resource Centre, University of Guelph
Infant Years • In 2002 “Trials and Tribulations of Developing DDI-Compliant Codebooks at the University of Guelph“ • Move our HTML codebooks to XML DDI-compliant codebooks
Infant Years • Met many challenges • Learning all about DDI • Learning XML and XSL • Developed an initial tagset – based on our HTML codebooks → expanded as needed -
Toddler Stage • Nesstar became available • Easy to install Server • Easy User Interface – create metadata • Too much time and resources to retrofit our homegrown system • Started migration to Nesstar - 2004
Teenage Years • Nesstar in full production in Fall 2005 • Used Publisher along with homegrown scripts to create DDI codebooks • Started with approx. 700 studies – Now 895 studies • Available to: University of Guelph Wilfrid Laurier University University of Waterloo
Teenage Years • Training available for members of 3 Universities • On-line tutorials • Workshops • Seminars • Tweaking of system – few upgrades along the way
Teenage Years • Continue to add tags to enhance the metadata available for users • Adding Question text when we can • Faculty and students like the new system – still growing pains along the way
Making friends along the way • Throughout this journey - worked with members of the Ontario Academic community • Many institutions have homegrown systems • Through DLI – training • Help with new Nesstar specs and setups
DDI Friends in Ontario • Ontario institutions • Queens University • Carleton University • Université d’Ottawa • Windsor University • University of Toronto • University of Western Ontario
Newest DDI friend • Statistics Canada author divisions and DLI are looking at creating DDI codebooks for dissemination • Joining forces and creating a high quality and consistent DDI document for all surveys available through DLI
Pieces of the puzzle…. • Ontario Universities at different stages of DDI growth • Statistics Canada • Research Data Centres • Universities in other parts of the country looking at DDI or using DDI
How do the pieces fit? IDEAL SITUATION • Central dissemination point for Universities • Quality metadata (DDI codebooks) and data “One stop-shopping”
How do we accomplish this? • By taking small steps…. • Ontario project: • Developing best practices for creating DDI compliant codebooks • Create complete codebooks • Make available through a central portal to participating OCUL members
Next steps • Interest in partner provinces • Start developing collaborations between interested institutions to avoid duplication • Can we develop a National one stop-shop?
Ontario Universities Statistics Canada Other Provincial Partners STC Research Data Centres
Complete puzzle – one stop shopping for data and accompanying metadata for all