1. Metadata at ICPSR
Sanda Ionescu, ICPSR

2. Metadata at ICPSR -Catalog Records-
Created by data processors, who fill out a Web-based form:
Fixed fields,
DDI 2.x and 3.0 compatible

3. Metadata at ICPSR -Catalog Records-

4. Metadata at ICPSR -Catalog Records-
Review and approval by metadata specialist
Stored in ORACLE database
Exported from database to DDI 2.1 XML
XML files stored on server (file system)
HTML and PDF presentation created dynamically (through XSLT stylesheets) at user request
HTML presentation for viewing only; PDF is downloadable

5. Metadata at ICPSR -Catalog Records-
DDI-XML files searched by field from home page to retrieve studies (Inktomisearch)

6. Metadata at ICPSR -Codebooks-
HERMES – in-house automated process to generate (most of) the study distribution package:
Input:
SPSS system or portable
Optional pre-formatted (question) text file
Output:
Full suite of statistical formats (setups and system)
ASCII data file
DDI 2.1 file with frequencies and question text if available

8. Metadata at ICPSR -Codebooks-
DDI 2.1 file may be converted to PDF to generate
An “ICPSR” codebook
Part of the publicly distributed codebook as other non-DDI resources may be incorporated
In some instances a DDI-based codebook will not be generated

9. Metadata at ICPSR -Codebooks-
The DDI 2.1 file with variables description
Is archived
Is downloaded into the Social Science Variables Database (SSVD)

10. Metadata at ICPSR Social Science Variables Database
Also built in ORACLE, but currently a separate entity, with links to studies’ and series’ descriptions.
Includes variable-level metadata.
Is DDI 2.x and 3.0 compliant (input and output)
Will enable variable-level searches across studies and series of studies (simple SQL queries - retrieve matches, do not infer relevance)

11. Integrating DDI 3 into Archives SRO-ICPSR collaboration project
SAS/SPSS/Stata
files
Other…
DDI 3.0
Blaise
output
DDI 2.x
Common RELATIONAL DATABASE
model for data documentation
- Compliant with DDI 3.0 -
Emphasize – this is BY NO MEANS a presentation of the project which is obviously a lot more complex – but rather an over- simplification meant to illustrate the value of having a common (data) storage model based on a commonly used standard.
So there will actually be two physical databases but built on a shared model and DDI 3- compliant.
The databases will accept a variety of input formats – Blaise output (generated at SRO) , statistical formats, and both versions of DDI.
The database content will then be used to build a variety of applications.
One such application is the cross-study variable level search that ICPSR will provide on its Web site, and for which we currently use DDI2 files with question text added manually in most cases.
But when the project is finalized and the databases are functional,
ICPSR will also be able to use variable descriptions as generated from Blaise, that already include desirable information – like question text.
So this is how the - Use of common database model – based on a commonly adopted standard – will thus make it possible for one application to use information that otherwise would have been unavailable
Client Applications…
Web Applications…
ICPSR: Variable-level Search
ICPSR projects will be able to use documentation generated by SRO projects…

12. Metadata at ICPSR -Online analysis-
Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA)
Approx. 475 studies – data and documentation in proprietary format (ddl), DDI 2.x-compatible.
Nesstar - used only as a “test” (currently not in production mode)

13. Metadata at ICPSR Other study documentation
Questionnaires
User guides
Data definitions
Distributed in machine-readable, but non-searchable formats – PDF, ASCII, Excel, etc.