Metadata Standards

REFERENCE: overview of Metadata Standards content in the ODC documentation

Metadata refers to "data about data" - it is information that may not necessarily constitute the data itself, but provides an understanding of different aspects of the data and how it can be used. Metadata falls under three broad categories:

• Descriptive Metadata: data that provides definitions, descriptions, and information about the content and enables discovery and identification of the resource

• Administrative Metadata: data that provides information on how to manage a resource, including license and access rights

• Structural Metadata: data that provides information on the internal structure, organisation, and relationships of data elements within a resource

Established Metadata Standards

To ensure sufficient metadata for all published datasets, the ODC has integrated a number of established metadata standards into the dataset upload workflow.

Standard	Description	FAIR
Dublin Core Metadata Terms	Standardised metadata elements used to describe digital and physical resources Achieved for datasets through a combination of structured user input (i.e., during dataset creation and via ODC Metadata Editor) and automatic labelling by the ODC	Findable
Digital Object Identifiers (DOI)	Unique, persistent identifier; allows for cross-referencing and tracking published datasets, and provides a standardised way to cite datasets Added to a dataset's citation by the ODC Data Team after the dataset has been submitted for editorial review and publication (generated using the DataCite Standards)	Findable Accessible
DataCite Standards	Core metadata properties for sharing research outputs and resources; allows for cross-referencing and tracking published datasets and provides a standardised way to cite datasets Assigned to datasets by the ODC Data Team as part of the DOI creation process	Findable
Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)	A global standard identifier for researchers Researchers can link their ORCID to their ODC account - published datasets will appear in the published works section of their ORCID profile	Findable
Research Resource Identifier (RRID)	A standard identification number for a catalog of scientific tools and resources ODC-SCI: SCR_016673 ODC-TBI: SCR_021736	Findable Reusable
Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0)	A standardised open source license that establishes how work can be used; all datasets published on the ODC are CC-BY 4.0 This means: anyone with access to a published dataset can use the content of a dataset, but sets a legal obligation to give appropriate credit to the authors (creators) of the data	Reusable

Implementation of Metadata Standards in the ODC

The ODC has standardised how metadata is captured as part of the dataset upload workflow. Datasets submitted for publication must upload a Data Dictionary File (format and structure dictated by ODC) and input essential metadata into the Metadata Editor (standardised structured form). Beginning in 2021, the ODCs introduced the first iteration of community specific content requirements for published datasets (i.e., common terminology and required variables) in an effort to further improve data interoperability and reuse.

ODC Implementation	Description	FAIR
Data Dictionary File	The Data Dictionary File is a codebook that describes all of the variables contained in a dataset (i.e., in the Subject Data File) - it is essential for interpretation and reuse. Datasets submitted for publication must include a Data Dictionary File Created and uploaded by the data producer Highly recommended for all datasets GO TO: ODC Data Dictionary	Interoperable Reusable
Metadata Editor (Narrative Summary)	The Metadata Editor is the tool used to create a dataset's "homepage" on the ODC. It is a structured form with two important roles: 1) to prompt the data uploader to input essential metadata information in a standardised way, and 2) to capture a narrative summary of the dataset that explains what data is contained in the file(s), how it was produced, and any other information the authors deem relevant for data reuse. Think of this entry like creating an abstract, but specifically focused on the data! Narrative Metadata is unique to each dataset and is essential for archiving, interpretability, and reuse Created by the data producer and input directly into the ODC Metadata Editor Elements entered into the Metadata Editor begin automatically populating the citation information If submitted for publication: the ODC Data Team manually reviews the elements entered into the Metadata Editor to confirm the final citation information and generate the permanent DOI GO TO: ODC Metadata Editor	Findable Accessible Reusable
Common Terminology	Common Terminology refers to common definitions for study data that provide information on how to name variables, their definitions, and in some instances, how the variables need to be collected or measured to fulfil the definition. Use of common terminology makes data more interoperable and easier to harmonise Incorporated into the Subject Data File and Data Dictionary File by the data producer as appropriate/relevant ODC supported domain specific common terminology: ODC-SCI: Community Data Elements (CoDEs) ODC-TBI: NINDS pre-clinical TBI CDEs, PRECISE-TBI CDEs, TOP-NT TBI CDEs GO TO: ODC Common Terminology	Interoperable Reusable