Open Scientific Publications and Research Data

3. Metadata

Metadata is ‘data about data’ – it describes the characteristics, context, quality, and conditions of use of the research data itself. Standardised and open metadata formats ensure that data can be easily found, understood, and cited, which is essential for its reuse and integration into broader scientific knowledge. Metadata is crucial for the application of research data because it allows a potential user to fully understand what the data represents, how it was collected, who collected it, when it was collected, and for what purpose the study was conducted. In addition, metadata clearly defines how the data may be used and highlights its potential limitations.

An example of metadata is a researcher’s identification number in CroRIS. A scientist’s ID is data that describes and identifies the subject (the researcher) associated with specific research data or publications within the CroRIS information system.

Examples of metadata for a scientific article include the Title, Authors, Keywords, DOI, and Funding Source.