Metadata Information Page

About Metadata

Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource. Metadata is often called data about data or information about information. Metadata serves the same functions in resource discovery as good cataloging does by:

allowing resources to be found by relevant criteria
identifying resources
bringing similar resources together
distinguishing dissimilar resources
giving location information.

Where Does Metadata Go?

Metadata is generally placed at the top of an html within the <head> </head> tags. FrontPage will automatically generate some metadata but not all the necessary elements.

How Do You Create Metadata?

Metadata can be created by typing it directly into the html coding, copying and pasting from a preexisting page with metadata (although some of the content will have to be changed to reflect the new page), or by using a metadata creator such as DC-dot.

Meta Name Descriptions:

D.C.Title

The content information for this tag should be the title of the page. An example follows:

D.C. Author

The content of this tag should be Texas A&M at Galveston. An example follows:

D.C.Subject.Keyword

The content of this tag should one or two words that best describes the page information. An example follows:

DC.Description

The content of this tag can be as long as necessary to adequately describe the content of the page. Equate this tag as a type of electronic abstract. An example follows:

DC.Subject

The content of this tag should be "Higher Education." An example follows:

DC. Type

The content of this tag should be selected from the following list: "Homepages", "Grants or Funding Opportunities", "Forms and Form Instructions", "Funding aids, indexes, and tracking systems", or "Other publications". An example follows:

<META NAME="DC.Type" SCHEME="DCMI Type" CONTENT="Other Publications">

DC.Language

The content of this tag should be "en" or "en-us."

DC.Date

The content of this tag should be the current date. For example:

DC.Coverage

The content of this tag should be "Texas."

<META NAME="DC.Coverage.jurisdiction" CONTENT="Texas"

Formal html example of Metadata Usage

<html lang="en">

<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">
<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<title>Information about metadata</title>
<META NAME="DC.Title" CONTENT="Information about metadata">
<META NAME="DC.Author" CONTENT="Texas A&M University at Galveston">
<META NAME="DC.Subject.Keyword" CONTENT="accessibility">
<META NAME="DC.Description" CONTENT="discussion about what metadata is, as well as where and how to apply it to a university web page.">
<META NAME="DC.Subject" CONTENT="Higher Education">
<META NAME="DC.Type" SCHEME="DCMI Type" CONTENT="Other Publications">
<META NAME="DC.Language" SCHEME="RFC1766" CONTENT="en">
<META NAME="DC.Date" SCHEME="ISO8601" CONTENT="2005-04-26">
<META NAME="DC.Coverage.jurisdiction" CONTENT="Texas">
<meta name="Microsoft Border" content="tlb, default">
<style>

</style>
</head> . . .