Guides Glossary

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Glossary Terms appear as links in the MMI Guides. Definitions will appear in a pop-up when the mouse hovers over the term.
a
Authority File
A type of flat controlled vocabulary that consists of a list of labels and terms which can be used for establishing the acceptable content, for example a metadata element or database field. Related GuideSynonyms: Authority Files
c
Clearinghouse
A service available via the internet that provides a catalog of resources. A clearinghouse usually emphasizes discovery of resources, particularly data sets.
Code List
A type of flat controlled vocabulary consisting of a set of codes and their meanings, in use in a specific project. Related GuideSynonyms: Code Lists
Content Standard
A list or hierarchy of required metadata elements to be included in the metadata description. Related GuideSynonyms: Content Standards
Controlled Vocabulary
A managed list of terms. In the context of vocabularies, management typically includes careful selection of terms, maintenance of terms over time (i.e. addition, deprecation, modification), and presentation of the vocabulary in an accessible format. Related GuideSynonyms: Controlled Vocabularies, CV, CVs
Crosswalk
Documents that map metadata elements between different metadata standards. Related GuideSynonyms: Metadata Crosswalk, Vocabulary Mappings, Vocabulary Mapping, Crosswalk
d
Dictionary
In the context of metadata, a dictionary is a type of controlled flat vocabulary, which provides a list of metadata terms, definitions and additional information within a specific domain. Related GuideSynonyms: Dictionaries
Discovery
Use of metadata values or vocabularies to find metadata or data sets. Related GuideSynonyms: Discovery Metadata, Discovery Vocabulary, Discovery Vocabularies
f
Flat Vocabulary
A managed list of acceptable metadata terms that associates acceptable values with particular metadata elements. Flat vocabularies include authority files, glossaries, dictionaries, code lists, and gazetteers. Related GuideSynonyms: Flat Vocabularies
Formal Metadata
Metadata that conforms to a specific standard, with consistent collection criteria, terminology and structure. Related Guide
Format Standard
A description of the digital storage and structural requirements of metadata which assures that different software programs are able to read or query the data. Related GuideSynonyms: Format Standards
g
Gazetteer
In the context of metadata, a gazetteer is a very specific type of flat controlled vocabulary - a geographic term list. Related GuideSynonyms: Gazetteers
Glossary
A type of flat controlled vocabulary containing a list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms. Related GuideSynonyms: Glossaries
h
Harmonization
In the context of crosswalking, metadata schema of the source and the target standards are represented in the same syntax during harmonization. Related GuideSynonyms: Harmonize
i
Ingest
In the context of metadata, the ingest process is the method by which metadata is read into a system (e.g. a database import).
m
Machine-Readable
In the context of metadata, formatted in a way that is well defined and processable by the system's software and hardware. Metadata with this characteristic can be discovered, ingested, and presented by an electronic system (also known as 'computable'). Related GuideSynonyms: Machine Readable, Machine Readability
Metadata
Data about data. Metadata provides a context for research findings, ideally in a machine-readable format. It enables discovery of data via an electronic interface, and correct use and attribution of findings. Related Guide
Metadata Classification
Grouping of metadata values, based on shared criteria. Related GuideSynonyms: Metadata Class, Classes
Metadata Element
Individual instance of a metadata label and value pair. For example, "creator: John Doe" is a metadata element. Related GuideSynonyms: Metadata Elements, Metadata Fields, Element, Parameter, Metadata Parameter, Field, Metadata Parameters, Metadata Properties, Parameters, Metadata Field, Fields, Elements
Metadata Extension
Addition to a metadata standard that allows users to provide information in additional fields, or additional ways, that were not mentioned in the original standard. Related GuideSynonyms: Extension, Metadata Extensions, Extensions
Metadata Instance
A metadata document describing a resource in a standards-compliant manner For example, the Everglades Hydrology and Water Quality Data document provided in XML by the USGS. Also, see other MMI-provided metadata instance examples.Synonyms: Instance
Metadata Interoperability
The ability of two or more information systems to exchange metadata with minimal loss of information. Related GuideSynonyms: interoperability, interoperable, Metadata Interoperability
Metadata Label
A descriptor for a metadata value. This can be thought of as a question to which the value is providing an answer. For example, for the metadata label "date", the metadata value could be "March 16, 2008".Synonyms: Label
Metadata Profile
The community-specific application of a metadata standard. Related GuideSynonyms: Profiles, Metadata Profiles, Profile
Metadata Specification
Any description of how to store metadata. Specifications have no limitations on the level of required documentation and no requirement for formal approval, publishing or governance by a broad community-based organization. Related GuideSee also: Metadata Standard Synonyms: Specifications, Metadata Specifications, Specification
Metadata Standard
A set of documented rules which define the creation of metadata by providing a combination of terminology (vocabularies), syntactical rules, format rules, and other requirements. Metadata standards are approved, published and governed by a formal body or organization with broad community-based representation (international or national). Related GuideSee also: Metadata Specification Synonyms: Standard, Metadata Standards, Standards
Metadata Value
Metadata values are the content connected to metadata labels in a metadata element. For example, if the metadata label is "date", the metadata value could be "May 13, 2007". Related GuideSynonyms: Values, Metadata Values, Value
Multi-Level Vocabulary
A managed list of metadata terms, where the terms are organized into categories. Multi-Level vocabularies include taxonomies and subject headings. Related GuideSynonyms: Multi Level Vocabularies, Multi-Level Vocabularies, Multi Level Vocabulary
o
Ocean Observing Network
Connected system of data collection nodes.Synonyms: OOS
Ontology
A type of relational controlled vocabulary, which provides for categories, relationships, rules and axioms among metadata elements. Typically a hierarchy of classes and terms, an ontology is a machine-readable way of relating metadata terminology. Related GuideSynonyms: Ontologies
p
Protocol
A strategy for transmitting data between systems. A protocol can be used not only over the internet, between computers, but also between applications running anywhere. Examples: FTP, SNMP, SSH. Synonyms: Protocols
Provenance
The record of how a particular metadata value or record came to be. Provenance can include things like when the record was created, accessed or modified.
r
Relational Vocabulary
Managed list of acceptable terms that makes use of relationships between metadata terms. Relational vocabularies include thesauri, semantic networks and ontologies. Related GuideSynonyms: Relational Vocabularies
Relationship
Connections between metadata terms within a vocabulary. These relationships can connect terms by scope, provenance, or other well-defined criteria.Synonyms: Relationships
Rule
In the context of crosswalking, rules are a process which define how to deal consistently with complex element mappings. Rules are created and applied during the mapping of elements from the source schema to the target schema, when one-to-one relationships between schema elements do not exist. Related GuideSynonyms: Rules
s
Scalability
The ability of a metadata system to expand. Well-designed systems are established with the flexibility to scale up to larger data sets, enhanced metadata requirements, and a variety of growth factors.Synonyms: Scalable
Schema
In the context of metadata, a description of the data represented within a database.Synonyms: Schemas
Semantic Framework
A semantic framework guides a specific development to make use of computer-interpretable programming languages, such as XML, to create systems which promote and allow semantic interoperability. Both semantic interoperability and the Semantic Web rely on the backbone of a semantic framework. May also refer to the Marine Metadata Interoperability's own Semantic Framework. Related Guide
Semantic Interoperability
The ability of multiple systems to exchange information in useful ways; in particular, the ability for each system to 'understand' the terms of the other sufficiently to use those terms correctly. Related Guide
Semantic Mapping
In the context of crosswalking, elements in the source schema are explicitly mapped to elements in the target schema during semantic mapping. Related GuideSynonyms: Semantic Mappings
Semantic Network
A type of relational controlled vocabulary consisting of lists of terms/concepts and directed relationships. Related Guide
Semantic Technology
Semantic technology provides the meaning behind data alongside the data itself. Software written to enable semantic technology explicitly separates the underlying code, data input and output, and data meaning from one another.Synonyms: Semantic Technologies
Semantic Web
The transformation of the web from an inherently human-interpretable medium to an inherently computer-interpretable medium. In the semantic web, machines can read and understand the content published in the network.
Subject Heading
A type of multi-level controlled vocabulary in which metadata values are classified into categories which may be broad classes. Related GuideSynonyms: Subject Headings
t
Taxonomy
A multi-level controlled vocabulary in which metadata terms are grouped according to subject-specific classes, usually hierarchical. Related GuideSynonyms: Taxonomies
Thesaurus
A type of relational controlled vocabulary which provides a list of terms, with specific relationships between the terms. Related GuideSynonyms: Thesauri
Transformation
In the context of crosswalking, transformation is the process of creating a target instance of the metadata description from the source instance. Related GuideSynonyms: Transformations
u
Usage Vocabulary
The set of terms used to identify, analyze, or re-use data values in the native form of the data asset. Related GuideSynonyms: Usage Metadata, Usage Vocabularies
v
Vocabulary
A set of terms (e.g., words) that are used in a specific community. Related GuideSynonyms: Vocabularies
Vocabulary Mapping
Documents that map metadata terms between different controlled vocabularies. Related GuideSynonyms: Vocabulary Mappings
Vocabulary Term
A potential metadata value that is part of a set intended to restrict the available options in a particular metadata element.Synonyms: Vocabulary Terms
w
Web Service
Standardized way of integrating Web-based applications using open standards over an Internet protocol backbone. Web services share business logic, data and processes through a programmatic interface across a network. The applications interface, not the users. Synonyms: Web Services