A user-friendly framework for metadata and microdata documentation based on international standards and the PCBS experience

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Zeidan, Haitham^{a; *} | Greenwell, Geoffrey^b

Affiliations: [a] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), Palestinian | [b] The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Haitham Zeidan, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), Palestinian. E-mail:Haitham@pcbs.gov.ps

Abstract: This paper discusses the experience of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) [1] in designing a user-friendly framework for metadata and microdata documentation. The PCBS uses two metadata specifications: the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) [2] and the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) [3]. Both are defined in the Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) and the Resource Description Framework (RDF). This paper focuses also on the DDI and DCMI as well as its relationship to other relevant metadata standards (e.g., The Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX)) [4] and the semantic web technologies. We address the features of these standards as Richer content, Coverage, On-line analytical capability, Search capability and Interoperability since these standards are defined in the Extensible Mark-up Language (XML).

Keywords: Metadata, microdata, DDI, DCMI, SDMX, RDF, XML, semantic web, NADA, PCBS, OECD

DOI: 10.3233/SJI-161011

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 677-683, 2016