PANEL: DDI and Metadata from the Researcher's Perspective

Abstract

This was a panel discussion on lifecycle metadata issues from the researcher's perspective. A lot of focus has been placed on how to integrate DDI into large data collection processes in the world of official statistics, research centers, and long term projects. It makes sense in these areas to talk about the payoff for metadata reuse, developing processes and tools to harvest metadata along a production process, and the value of a software neutral means of capturing and transporting metadata. The question facing academic based data libraries and archives is how to integrate DDI into the smaller, limited time frame, research project. What are the payoffs for the individual researcher? What tools can be provided to support researchers? This panel is designed to gather input from attendees to help answer the following questions:

How can the use of DDI throughout the research process help researchers during the process? What needs to be there (tools, processes, informational materials, etc.)? What can data libraries/archives/services do to promote and support DDI use? What is needed from others (Funding agencies, academic departments, computing services, etc.)? What can DDI do to increase the use of DDI within the academic environment?