A Class Focused Approach to Research Outputs and Policy Literature Metadata

Abstract

Successful research object sharing requires that systems and users understand the structure, semantics and rules that govern a given research object collection. A number of metadata standards define ontologies and vocabularies for consistent expression of research object semantics. Supporting, clarifying and sometimes extending these standards are metadata application profiles (MAPs). MAPs play a key role defining metadata element cardinality and data types. MAPs may also mandate or recommend controlled vocabularies, where metadata standards have not already mentioned these in formal range declarations, encoding schemes and semantics that are to be consumed by external systems. MAPs also guide design options for in-house systems and workflows. In this paper, development of a draft MAP for grey-literature policy and research collections is discussed. A focus of the discussion is the considerations around selection and adoption of metadata standards given the research data and literature communities in the APO stakeholder map. This paper presents a work-in-progress version of a Dublin Core Application Profile (DCAP) candidate. The Analysis & Policy Observatory Metadata Application Profile (APO-MAP) takes research object class structure as a starting point and considers class model options, especially given the availability of registry services and Persistent Indenter (PID) systems. The discussion finds that MAP development progresses towards a best fit that balances the need to adopt widely supported standards, local business drivers, and community acceptance.