This is intended to be a template for use in characterizing candidate metadata content for inclusion in the XMDR (Extended Metadata Registry) prototype.
Note that we have implicitly assumed that the metadata resources are unclassified.
It is suggested that for each candidate metadata resource, surveyors should simply edit this web page, deleting introduction and replacing text for each section with the appropriate text for a specific metadata resource. Please use the terminology suggested. Please complete the survey in English.
Upon completion, email the web page to olken@lbl.gov. Please put "XMDR Content Survey - [specific metadata resource name]" in the subject line, e.g., "XMDR Content Survey - UMLS". I will collect and post the individual web pages on our XMDR web site.
If an attribute is unknown, simply write "Unknown". If an attribute is not applicable, write "Not Applicable".
Comments, proposed revisions, etc. should also be emailed to Frank Olken at olken@lbl.gov.
Version 6 reflect changes proposed by Gail Hodge.
We anticipate that surveyors will initially complete section II (Core Content Characterization). Sections III and IV will be completed later for those resources deemed appropriate for inclusion in the prototype registry.
The following attributes of the content characterization will be supplied by XMDR staff.
Attributes marked with an asterisk (*) are considered mandatory.
The title (name) of the metadata resource. Taken from Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
The acronym (if any) of the title (name) of the metadata resource.
URL or URI for a web page which describes and/or provides access to the metadata resource.
Unique identifier for the metadata resource, e.g., URN, URI, URL, ISBN, ISSN, DOI, etc.
Name of contact person, mailing address, email address, phone number, etc. for this metadata resource.
Why should we include this metadata content in the XMDR prototype? Which sponsoring organizations of XMDR are likely to be interested?
Indicate application domain(s) of the metadata content metadata resource. See below. Taken from Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
Indicate type(s) of metadata included in the data set: Cf. "type" attribute from the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
How big is the data set: number of terms or concepts (nodes), number of relationships (edges), number of constraints, size in bytes (in various formats/compressions), size in bytes of internal representations?
Name of person who filled out this survey for this metadata resource in the initial phase. Also include email address.
Date that the initial phase of the survey was completed or updated. Used ISO 8601 date format, i.e., yyyy-mm-dd.
The following attributes of the content characterization will be completed by XMDR staff. These attributes will be collected for those content collections which are considered to be high priority for inclusion in the prototype.
Attributes marked with an asterisk (*) are considered mandatory.
Publication date of most recent version of the metadata resource in ISO 8601 Date Format: YYYY-MM-DD. Taken from Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
Organization or person(s) responsible for the creation (authoring) of the metadata resource. Taken from Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
Organization or person(s) responsible for publishing / distributing the metadata resource. Note that we do not differentiate here between publishers and distributors. Taken from Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
Additional textual description of the metadata resource.
Language(s) of the content of the metadata resource. Is the metadata resource multi-lingual (e.g., thesauri)? Taken from the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description.
Indicate type of metadata according to the following graph-theoretic classification scheme:
What file formats (ASN.1, XML, RDF, KIF, HDF5, netCDF, ... ) can the metadata resource be had in? What schemas are used (e.g., for XML, RDF, ...)
Is the metadata resource available for download? What are the principal / mirror download sites ? What media types (CDROM, DVD, ...) are available (if any)?
Does the metadata resource include constraints? What kinds of constraints (keys, foreign keys, ....)? How are constraints specified (SQL, logic, RuleML, SWRL, Object Constraint Language, ...) ?
What protocols does the metadata publisher support for download, other access, e.g., FTP, HTTP, REST, SOAP, UDDI, LDAP, etc.
Open source, public domain, academic use, proprietary license, .... License agreement required ? Cost of license? Can content be redistributed or posted to the web?
Restrictions on export / distribution ?
Is there some subset of the metadata resource which would be of interest? Can we request / extract / query this subset for the originating site or will we have to obtain the complete metadata resource content and then perform the subset extraction query processing on our system?
What is the current version number of the metadata resource? How often is the metadata resource updated? How are updates named / distributed / propagated ?
What documentation is available? Where / how to obtain documentation ? Format of documentation ?
Is the data set encoded in ASCII, Unicode (and if so what character encoding UTF-8, UTF-16, ...), or other?
What system of measurement units (e.g., SI, cgs, US customary, ... ) is used (if any)? How are they encoded ?
Indicate any dependencies of this metadata resource on other metadata resources or standards, e.g., country codes, terminologies, chemical or biological nomenclature standards, etc.
Other similar or related metadata resources.
What software tools are available to parse, load, convert, browse, edit, .... this metadata resource (type)?
Who is the primary intended audience for this data set? Expert researchers, DBAs, scientific users, agency staffers, librarians, statisticians, teachers, general public, college students, high school students, ...
How should the metadata resource be cited in publications, etc. ? Note that the preferred bibliographic citation is often a publication rather than the web site for a resource.
Person who filled out this section of the survey for this metadata resource. Contact info also.
Date this survey was completed / updated for this metadata resource.
The following data elements are to be supplied by XMDR project staff/collaborators.
Attributes marked with an asterisk (*) are considered mandatory.
Names of persons (if any) on XMDR project (and contact info) who are familiar with this data set. XMDR participant organizations who have copies of this metadata resource.
Names of persons on XMDR project (and contact info) who evaluated this metadata resource for inclusion (e.g., if the content survey was completed by someone at the content repository).
Priority suggested for acquisition and ingestion of this metadata resource.