Glossary

administrative metadata

Metadata used in managing and administering information resources, location or donor information. Includes rights and access information, a on the creation and preservation of the digital object.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

application profile

Metadata standards – and related schemas, vocabularies and taxonomies – are designed to provide users with a means of sharing basic information especially relevant to a particular knowledge domain. At times, however, not all requirements of a community of practice may be met by a standard requiring that the community extend or modify it. Thus the term Application Profile has emerged as a means of describing this practical reality. Your application (how you apply the standard to your requirements) may therefore include ‘local’ elements or even include elements sourced from multiple metadata standards
Source: CETIS FAQ

An ''application profile'' is an adaptation of one or more schemas to meet the needs of a particular application or implementation. It may include locally defined elements to meet the needs of a particular community. Examples are Vetadata, which draws elements from the LOM schema, and The Le@rning Federation application profile, which draws elements from several schemas as well as defining new elements.
Source: Irvin Flack

attribute

A named characteristic of an entity which is a person, place, thing or event about which we store data
Source: Adrienne Tannenbaum, Metadata solutions ...

A variable or term that defines a specific setting or provides additional information to an element. Attributes appear as name-value pairs contained in an element's start tag
Source: Erik T. Ray, Learning XML

authority control

A set of rules or procedures that maintain consistency for accessing names or terms within a database. Means of establishing a consistent form of the name or concept through authority records.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

authority record

A record that shows the preferred form of a personal or corporate name, geographic region or subjects. It indicates variant forms of the established heading.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

back end database

A database that contains and manages data for an information system, distinct from the presentation or interface components of that system.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

best practice

Guide and documentation to describe and standardize the use of metadata elements that best support a community's needs.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

binding

The association of a metadata assertion or statement with a particular syntactic encoding
Source: CETIS Reference

classification

A logical scheme for arrangement of knowledge, usually by subject. Classification schema are alpha and/or numeric
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

classification scheme

The descriptive information for an arrangement or division of objects into groups based on characteristics which the objects have in common
Source: Wikipedia

collection

Two or more items, related in some way, grouped together or considered as a whole. For example, a publication containing a variety of works
Source: http://www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn

conceptual model

Abstract view of a data model
Source: BS 8419-1:2005

controlled vocabulary

A prescribed set of consistently used and carefully defined terms.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

cross-walk

In the context of metadata and metadata standards a cross-walk is a mechanism for mapping elements from two or more schemas. Typically, it is represented in a table format indicating relationships and equivalencies between elements. Cross-walks therefore enable systems to share resources described using different metadata schema and help promote interoperability.
Source: CETIS FAQ

A chart or table that represents the semantic mapping of fields or data elements in one data standard to fields or data elements in another standard that has a similar function or meaning. Crosswalks enable heterogeneous databases to be searched simultaneously with a single query as if they were a single database (semantic interoperability) and to effectively convert data from one metadata standard to another. See also metadata mapping below. Also known as field mapping.
Source: Murtha Baca (editor) Introduction to metadata: pathways to digital information

data model

A collection of descriptions of data structures and their contained fields, together with the operations or functions that manipulate them.
Source: www.w3.org/TR/2002/PR-DOM-Level-2-HTML-20021108/glossary.html

A description of data that consists of all entities represented in a data structure or database and the relationships that exist among them. It is more concrete than an ontology but more abstract than a database dictionary (the physical representation)
Source: Victor Lombardi

DC

Dublin Core
The Dublin Core is a 15-element metadata element set intended to facilitate discovery of electronic resources. The Dublin Core has been in development since 1995 through a series of focused invitational workshops that gather experts from the library world, the networking and digital library research communities, and a variety of content specialties
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

descriptive metadata

Metadata that describes a work for purposes of discovery and identification, such as creator, title, and subject.
NISO, Understanding metadata

DTD

Document Type Definition
In SGML or XML a formal description of the structural elements and markup definitions to be used in encoding certain types of documents in SGML. Instances of DTDs include EAD (Encoded Archival Description) and HTML.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

e-research

Large-scale research collaboration that typically involves the sharing of information made possible by ICT
Source: The University of Melbourne, Information Management plan 2006-2008, 20 July 2005 draft

element

A discrete unit of data or metadata
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

element refinement (qualifier)

Element Refinements (Qualifiers) make the meaning of an element narrower or more specific.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

embedded metadata

Metadata that is maintained and stored within the object it describes; the opposite of stand-alone metadata.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

encoding rules

The syntax or prescribed order for the elements contained in the metadata description
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

encoding schemes

see encoding rules

folksonomies

Are collaboratively generated, open-ended labeling systems that enables Internet users to categorize content such as Web pages, online photographs, and Web Links. The freely chosen labels – called tags – help to improve search engine's effectiveness because content is categorized using a familiar, accessible, and shared vocabulary. The labeling process is called tagging. Two widely cited examples of web sites using folksonomic tagging are Flickr and del.icio.us
Source: Wikipedia

granularity

The level of detail at which an information object or resource is viewed or described.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

header metadata

Metadata embedded by the creator of a digital information resource into the header part of a file for description and management purposes.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

"hidden web"

The sum of the Web pages that is not accessible to Web crawlers, usually because they are either generated by querying a database in response to some user input or are password-protected.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

information resource

Any entity, electronic or otherwise, capable of conveying or supporting intelligence or knowledge; e.g. a book, a letter, a picture, a sculpture, a database, a person
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

instantiation

An identifiable occurrence or occasion of something: in the case of Dublin Core, a specific occurrence of an information resource.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

interoperability

The ability of different types of computers, networks, operating systems, and applications to work together effectively, without prior communication, in order to exchange information in a useful and meaningful manner. There are three aspects of interoperability: semantic, structural and syntactical
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

item

A single instance, or a whole individual unit
For example, a physical artifact, a single question in an exam, a photograph
Source http://www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn

learning object

An object which has a specified educational purpose or context
Source: unknown

A learning object is defined as any entity, digital or non-digital, that may be used for learning, education or training
Source: CETIS reference

learning resource

A digital entity designed to support a particular learning experience that can be used either by itself or as part of a larger aggregation.
Source: Vetadata

learning technology

Educational technology is the use of technology in education to improve learning and teaching. Educational technology is also known as instructional technology or learning technology.
Source: Wikipedia

LOM

Learning Object Metadata
This is a multi-part standard that specifies learning object metadata. Its purpose is to facilitate search, evaluation, acquisition, and use of learning objects, for instance by learners or instructors or automated software processes.
Source: LOM standard

metadata element

A metadata element is an agreed term or label that describes one of the properties or characteristics (e.g., the title of a resource) of an information model. A metadata element typically provides a means for associating values with this label. For example, the metadata element Title provides a placeholder for containing information about the title of a resource
Source: CETIS FAQ

metadata harvesting

A technique for extracting metadata from individual repositories and collecting it in a central catalog
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

metadata record

A document containing the name value pairs of a metadata Source: unknown

metadata registry

A system to provide management of metadata elements. Metadata registries are formal systems that provide authoritative information about the semantics and structure of data elements. Each element will include the definition of the element, the qualifiers associated with it, mappings to multilingual versions and elements in other schema
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

metadata schema

A scheme, or schema, is a systematic, orderly combination of elements. A set of rules for encoding information that supports a specific community of users
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

A metadata ''schema'' is a set of metadata elements (e.g. Title, Author, Description) along with their attributes (e.g. name, definition, rules for use). The term ''element set'' is often used as a synonym for schema. The term ''scheme'' is also sometimes used as a synonym, although this more usually refers to an ''encoding scheme'' (see section 6.3.1). The elements that make up a schema can be drawn from one or more ''namespaces'', which are formally managed collections of terms. Declaring that an element is drawn from a particular namespace allows it to be uniquely identified and distinguished from other elements which may have the same name. For example, the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMES) and Learning Object Metadata (LOM) schemas both have elements named 'Title'. A schema can be expressed in a number of ways, one of which is by using the XML Schema language
Source: Irvin Flack

metadata standard

Some metadata schemas have the status of ''standards'', which means they are ratified by a respected authority such as ISO (International Standards Organization) or IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). The term standard is often used more loosely to mean a specification that is widely used within a community. For example AACR (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules) are a standard within the library cataloguing community although they have not been ratified by any specific authority.
Source: Irvin Flack and Ebe Kartus

namespace

A unique name that identifies an organization that has developed an XML schema. A namespace is identified via a Uniform Resource Identifier (a URL or URN). The use of namespaces allows the definition of an element to be unambiguously identified with a URI, even though the label "title" alone might occur in many metadata sets. In more general terms, one can think of any closed set of names as a namespace
Source: Dublin Core metadata glossary

nesting

The way in which subelements may be contained within larger elements, resulting in multiple levels of metadata.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

OAI

Open Archives Initiative
The Open Archives Initiative develops and promotes interoperability standards that aim to facilitate the efficient dissemination of content. The Open Archives Initiative has its roots in an effort to enhance access to e-print archives as a means of increasing the availability of scholarly communication. Continued support of this work remains a cornerstone of the Open Archives program. Source: Open Archives Initiative website

OAI-PMH

Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
OAI-PMH provides an application-independent interoperability framework based on metadata harvesting. There are two classes of participants in the OAI-PMH framework:
* Data Providers administer systems that support the OAI-PMH as a means of exposing metadata; and
* Service Providers use metadata harvested via the OAI-PMH as a basis for building value-added services.
Source: OAI-PMH version 2.0

ontology

Ontologies resemble faceted taxonomies but use richer semantic relationships among terms and attributes, as well as strict rules about how to specify terms and relationships. Because ontologies do more than just control a vocabulary, they are thought of as knowledge representation. The oft-quoted definition of ontology is "the specification of one's conceptualization of a knowledge domain."
Source: Victor Lombardi

preservation metadata

A form of administrative metadata dealing with the provenance of a resource and its archival management
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

qualifier

see element refinement

RDF

Resource Description Framework
A W3C standard XML framework for describing and interchanging metadata. The simple format of resources, properties, and statements allows RDF to describe robust metadata, such as ontological structures. As opposed to Topic Maps, RDF is more decentralized because the XML is usually stored along with the resources.
Source: Victor Lombardi

registry

A formal system for the documentation of the element sets, descriptions, semantics, and syntax of one or more metadata schemes.
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

Metadata schemas can be managed and made widely available through a ''registry''. The use of registries promotes the discovery and reuse of metadata elements. An example is the Dublin Core Registry http://www.dublincore.org/dcregistry/, which “provides users, and applications, with an authoritative source of information about the Dublin Core element set and related vocabularies”.
Source: Irvin Flack

repository

A container for storing digital content. Examples include a database, an iPod, PDA, directory, e-portfolio, etc. Source: unknown

rights management metadata

A form of administrative metadata dealing with the intellectual property rights of a resource.
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

scheme

A scheme, or schema, is a systematic, orderly combination of elements. A set of rules for encoding information that supports a specific community of users.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

semantic web

The Semantic Web is a project that intends to create a universal medium for information exchange by putting documents with computer-processable meaning (semantics) on the World Wide Web. Currently under the direction of the Web's creator, Tim Berners-Lee of the World Wide Web Consortium, the Semantic Web extends the Web through the use of standards, markup languages and related processing tools
Source: Wikipedia

semantics

The names and meanings of metadata elements.
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

SOA

Service Oriented Architecture
Software architecture for a service-oriented approach implemented using a particular technology, e.g., CORBA, web services
Source: Blinco, Kerry 2006, Integrating everything: the JISC-DEST e-Framework for education and research

soa

service oriented approach
A system design methodology using networks of loosely-coupled, communicating services
Source: Blinco, Kerry 2006, Integrating everything: the JISC-DEST e-Framework for education and research

stand-alone metadata

Metadata that is created, maintained and stored independently of the object it describes. The opposite of embedded metadata.
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

specifications

A ''specification'' is a format or method that has not been ratified by a standards organisation but may nonetheless be useful for achieving de facto standardisation. It gives you instructions on how to do something.
Source: Irvin Flack and Ebe Kartus

structural metadata

Metadata that indicates how compound objects are structured, provided to support use of the objects
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

stuff

A neutral term for 'resource' (which absolves you from any need to define what you are talking about)
Source: UKOLN metadata glossary

syntax

Rules for how metadata elements and their content are encoded
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

tagging

see folksonomies

taxonomy

A set of controlled vocabulary terms, usually hierarchical. Once created, it can help inform navigation and search systems
Source: Victor Lombardi

technical metadata

A form of administrative metadata dealing with the creation or storage encoding processes or formats of the resource
Source: NISO, Understanding metadata

thesaurus

A taxonomy that also includes associated and related terms. It is the most complex type of controlled vocabulary, and is sometimes used to standardize an organization's terminology and subsequently inform both navigation and search systems
Source: Victor Lombardi

A controlled vocabulary of terms or concepts that are structured hierarchically (parent/child relationships) or as equivalences (synonyms), and related terms (associative).
Source: previous University of Melbourne Metadata Glossary

topic maps

An ISO standard for describing knowledge structures and associating them with information resources. The topics, associations, and occurrences that comprise topic maps allow them to describe complex structures such as ontologies. They are usually implemented using XML (XML Topic Maps, or XTM). As opposed to RDF, Topic Maps are more centralized because all information is contained in the map rather than associated with the resources
Source: Victor Lombardi

vocabulary

A vocabulary is a set of words known to a person or other entity, or that are part of a specific language.
Source: Wikipedia