Running An Institutional Web Service:
Exercises
6 Metadata
This exercise is intended for workshop participants who are particularly interested in metadata. The exercise will form the basis of a discussion group.
Resource Discovery
Go to a search engine such as AltaVista <URL:
http://www.altavista.com/> Imagine your are an overseas student thinking about registering for an MSc in a specialist subject such as Transport Engineering, or a popular subject such as Mathematics. Search for the prospectus for your University. Then search for the prospectus at another (small) University.
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Question |
Response |
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How many hits did you obtain? |
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How many hits were clearly inappropriate? |
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Why were the hits inappropriate? |
Information Management
On your website, use a search engine (if you have one) and search for out-of-date information (such as events). If possible, search for materials produced by people who have left your institution or departments / organisations which no longer exist (e.g. following a re-organisation).
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Question |
Response |
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How much out-of-date material did you find? What was the most out-of-date? |
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Did you find any materials which are no longer owned by a member of the institution?
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Give an estimate of the numbers of resources which are no longer being maintained (e.g. a percentage) |
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Give suggestions for ways in which out-of-date materials or materials which are no longer owned by anybody can be identified. |
Make a note of any comments on this exercise or any issues you may wish to raise at the discussion group.
Metadata Familiarisation
Go to <URL:
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/> and read the pages on metadata, in particular the metadata presentations on The Metadata Landscape, Metadata Management and Web Developments Related to Metadata available from <URL: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/presentations/>.Answer the following questions:
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Question |
Response |
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What is metadata? |
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What is Dublin Core? |
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Why is Dublin Core important? |
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How can Dublin Core held me? |
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What problems might I face in making use of metadata? |
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What other types of metadata am I interested in besides Dublin Core? |