Metadata
Metadata
Metadata (pronounced: /ˈmɛtəˌdeɪtə/, from the Greek words meta meaning "after" or "beyond", and data meaning "information") is a term used in Information Science to describe data that provides information about other data. In other words, it is "data about data".
Etymology
The term "metadata" is derived from the Greek word meta, which means "after" or "beyond", and the Latin word data, which means "information". It was first used in this context in 1968 by Philip Bagley in his book "Extension of Programming Language Concepts" where he described it as "data about data".
Types of Metadata
There are three main types of metadata:
- Descriptive Metadata - Descriptive metadata describes a resource for purposes such as discovery and identification. It can include elements such as title, abstract, author, and keywords.
- Structural Metadata - Structural metadata is metadata about containers of data and indicates how compound objects are put together, for example, how pages are ordered to form chapters.
- Administrative Metadata - Administrative metadata provides information to help manage a resource, such as when and how it was created, file type and other technical information, and who can access it.
Related Terms
- Data - Raw facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.
- Database - A structured set of data.
- Data Management - The practice of organizing and maintaining data processes to meet ongoing information lifecycle needs.
- Data Mining - The process of discovering patterns in large data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and database systems.
- Data Modeling - The process of creating a data model for the data to be stored in a database.
- Data Quality - The state of completeness, validity, consistency, timeliness and accuracy that makes data appropriate for a specific use.
- Data Warehousing - The process of constructing and using a data warehouse.
- Information Science - The science and practice dealing with the effective collection, storage, retrieval, and use of information.
- Information Management - The process of collecting, storing, managing and maintaining information in all its forms.
- Information System - Any organized system for the collection, organization, storage and communication of information.
- Information Technology - The use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data, or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Metadata
- Wikipedia's article - Metadata
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