Why Use a Metadata Standard?
Using a standard to create metadata enables the research communities to speak in like terms. It also sets the basis for software development by standardizing items and item descriptions. This has enabled the development of cataloging and indexing tools as well as search engines which can pose queries against collections of metadata. • We all create metadata informally, as notes or reports • We all use data that we didn’t create • When you’re trying to use someone else’s data, which is easier to interpret, informal notes, a voluminous report, or a formal standard? • Like any powerful tool, the metadata standard requires some time and effort to learn, but it is a worthwhile investment in the long run. • Standards provide a common set of terms. With standards, there is no confusion about what is being communicated by a particular term. From one metadata record to the next, the terminology is the same. • Standards allow for quick location of a certain element. If a standard is used, findin
