1. Meta-Data: the key to accessing Data and Information
Introduction
What is Meta-Data?
Why is Meta-Data Important?
What’s new about Meta-Data?
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction

2. Meta-Data: Introduction
What is Meta-Data?
Data about Data
any information that might be needed to ensure a correct analysis or interpretation of a set of data or a statistical summary
Broad Range
Technical descriptions of files, through to
Abstract specification of concepts
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction

3. Meta-Data Users and Components
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction

4. Levels of Meta-Data The structure in Bridge
Thesaurus
Statistician’s Desktop
Type Browser/Editor
Implementation
Information Base
External user
Statis-tician
Production
Thesaurus
Type Browser / Editor
Statisticians Desktop
Implementation
Information Base
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction

5. Why is Meta-Data important?
Sharing data
‘In my head’ is not good enough
Archiving
Secondary users need good information
Discovery
Does data exist that can help me answer a problem?
Automation
Parameterisation of standardised processes
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction

6. Meta-Data: Introduction
What’s New?
Internet
Vastly improved ease and scope of accessibility
XML (eXtended Markup Language)
Representation and exchange of complex data structures
But what are the structures?
Money
Data Warehouses, OLAP
Commercial pressures for Standardisation
The biggest opportunity for statistical processing for years
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction

7. Meta-Data: Introduction
XML
Markup Language
Text with Tags (<Field> field contents </Field>)
Nested Tags => multiple hierarchies
Generic language
Tags not defined, only the language structure
Generic tools to read and write XML
Interface tools for application developers
Presentation tools, style sheets
DTD - Document Type Definition
Rules about the specific tags and structures allowed in a specific context
Standardisation => Develop DTD, plus semantics
8/9/2019
Meta-Data: Introduction