Comparative Study of Metadata for Scientific Information: The Place of CERIF in CRISs and Scientific Repositories

Abstract

Metadata provides the human- and machine-accessible gateway to data, improves data to information, and provides the semantic context within which knowledge can be induced from information. Metadata is the means for using together scientific data from heterogeneous sources. A CRIS commonly holds data which, while useful in itself, commonly is also metadata describing more detailed data and information on projects, persons, organizations, products of R&D (patents, products, publications) equipment used for R&D and R&D funding. It is important, therefore, to classify the metadata formats used in various scientific repositories in order to understand their scope and interoperability, and their relationship to CERIF representing CRISs. Metadata formats are reviewed according to intention, abstraction level and technology criteria. The place of CERIF in CRISs in this wider sense (including scientific repositories) is considered and compared with other metadata models and formats. The superiority of CERIF (in formalism and flexibility) is demonstrated.