Adequate metadata requires capacity
Metadata, or information about data, is essential for enabling reuse, ensuring transparency, and supporting long-term impact. Communities often lack time or training to generate or document metadata, especially after data has already been collected or uploaded. However, ensuring metadata is thorough and useful requires planning, resources, and capacity.
Solutions
1.
Plan for metadata early
Integrate metadata creation into the initial phases of project planning. Define what metadata will be collected, by whom, and using what tools. In this process, assess what metadata would be essential to helping an outsider understand the data's context. Assign responsibility for documentation as you would for data collection.
2.
Reuse and adapt standards
Start with existing metadata standards or vocabularies relevant to environmental research. Adapt them as needed to fit the skills and context of your community.
3.
Co-develop with contributors
Engage data contributors in shaping what metadata fields are collected and how. Co-design fosters ownership of the process and ensures that metadata accurately reflects local knowledge and values.
4.
Build metadata into workflows
Use structured workflows (such as survey tools, mobile apps, or shared online forms) that capture metadata at the point of data entry. Automating or simplifying this process increases compliance, consistency, and accuracy.
5.
Use guided tools
Point-and-click upload tools, especially those with built-in metadata templates, checklists, or validation steps, can lower barriers for contributors unfamiliar with metadata standards.
6.
Offer lightweight training
Provide accessible training materials (e.g., short videos, one-pagers, or walkthroughs) on what metadata is and why it matters. Use real-world examples to show how good metadata improves usability.
Know of another resource or solution?
Resources
Metadata Game Changers
Metadata Game Changers provides consultation and a process for evaluating, documenting, and recording research metadata.
The Dublin Core Generator
The Dublin Core Generator is a tool for generating Dublin Core code that is easy to use, flexible with regards to tagging, and updated to the most recent Dublin Core standards.