CED2AR: The Comprehensive Extensible Data Documentation and Access Repository

Abstract

We describe the design, implementation, and deployment of the Comprehensive Extensible Data Documentation and Access Repository (CED2AR). This is a metadata repository system that allows researchers to search, browse, access, and cite confidential data and metadata through either a web-based user interface or programmatically through a search API, all the while re-reusing and linking to existing archive and provider generated metadata. CED2AR is distinguished from other metadata repository-based applications due to requirements that derive from its social science context. These include the need to cloak confidential data and metadata and manage complex provenance chains.