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What is “Structural Metadata”?
Simply put, structural metadata describes the variables within a dataset and how they are organised.
In DSRC Data Standards this takes the form of a Data Dictionary.
The Data Dictionary is organised into Data Classes.
Data Classes contain A Data Class, or a table, is a collection of one or more Data Elements and/or child Data Classes.
The definitions, including rules and constraints for valid values for all Data Elements are defined using the following metamodel:
Name: the name of the data class
Description: a description of the data class
Data Elements: data elements contained with the class
Child Classes: data classes contained within the class
Cardinality: the number of times a data class can occur within a group
Level: Could, Should, Must
Metadata: any additional metadata associated with the data class
Relationships: related data classes or elements (which may reside in another standard)
A Data Element is the logical definition of a unit of data such as:
a column in a database table
a field in a form
an element in an XML schema
The definitions, including rules and constraints for valid values for all Data Elements are defined using the following metamodel:
Name: the name of the data element
Description: a description of the data class
Data type: the constraint on the data element e.g.
integer, string
Cardinality: the number of times an lement can occur within a group
Level: Could, Should, Must
Metadata: any additional metadata associated with the data element
Relationships: related data classes or elements (which may reside in another standard), including child/parent relationships
Data Elements contain a Data Type which specifies the input value of the element e.g. varchar or datetime.
Further Information
For further information on the process of preparing and uploading structural metadata, please see the following pages:Name: the name of the data type
Description: a description of the data type, if applicable
Type
Simple - e.g. varchar, string, integer
Enumerated - a list of possible values
Reference
Relationships: to other data types or data element