FAILTE: Metadata Guidelines: Overview

Overview of FAILTE elements

This chapter introduces the terminology used to describe the way metadata elements have been translated into database fields and how these are to be used. The characteristics of the elements are also summarised in a table for easy reference.

Element types

The table below describes five different ways in which the metadata elements are used as database fields. The terms described below are used throughout this document.

Automatically generated:: The database will generate a value automatically. For some elements, the value may be altered by the cataloguer. Other values will be protected.
Restricted vocabulary:: Only the terms allocated to that element can be used.Please see the summarised characteristics of the elements in section 3.3 below, for a summary of the restricted vocabularies.
Free text:: Textual entries will be created for this type of element. Cataloguers should be aware that some free text elements will be restricted in length.
Standard regulated:: Some elements will describe characteristics for which there exist international standards of expression. The international standards are to be used in the recording of such characteristics.
Table for guided entries:: Some elements are intended to describe characteristics of a resource which cannot be expressed using any of the methods described above. However, the description can be stored in a structured way that will facilitate data integrity for the database. This type of element appears as a table in the database, to guide the cataloguer to record information in a structured way for the FAILTE project.

Obligation to record an element

There are some FAILTE metadata elements that the cataloguer must use, and others which ideally should be used, when completing a FAILTE record. This is to enable the management of the database and as a recommendation for good practice in cataloguing a resource for FAILTE. Throughout this document, the obligation to use each metadata element is described using the following terms:

Compulsory: This means that a FAILTE record will not be complete without this information being included. Only the Record ID, Title and URL of a resource are completely Compulsory. Without these, a record cannot be saved into the database.
Optional: This term is applied to metadata elements that are considered to be essential parts of a record, where the information is available and applicable to the resource being described. The use of metadata elements that are optional is at the discretion of the cataloguer, although it is recommended that cataloguers should use them wherever possible, and the final decision rests with the record validator.
Conditional: Elements that are Conditional are paired with other elements in such a way that where one element is used, the other one must also be used, for the record to make sense, and therefore one element becomes Compulsory. This relationship of dependency is explained for each element that has a Conditional obligation.

Summarised characteristics of FAILTE metadata elements.

GENERAL

Record ID: Type: Automatically generated
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: A number given to the resource for the purposes of the database. (FAILTE)
Title: Type: Free text
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: "The name given to the resource" (DC)
Alternative title: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Any form of the title used as a substitute or alternative to the formal title of the resource. (FAILTE)
Subject classification: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: "The topic of the content of the resource" (DC)
Main URL: Type: Free text
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: "A location or a method that resolves the location of the resource." (IMS)
Secondary URLs: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Any alternative location of the resource (FAILTE)
Description: Type: Free text
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: A textual description and general account of the resource. (FAILTE )
Rights: Cost of the resource: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Information about fees charged by those holding "rights in and over a resource." (DC.rights)
Rights: Conditions of use: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Information about conditions of use stipulated by those holding "rights in and over a resource." (DC.rights)
Awards: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition:
Language: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: The human language in which the resource is written. (FAILTE)
Reference: Type: Table for guided entries
Obligation: URI: Optional; Description: Conditional
Definition: Information on, and hyperlinks to reviews of the resources. (FAILTE)
Version: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The version or edition of the resource. (FAILTE)
Date of publication: Type: Restricted format
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The date on which the resource was published/created, if given. (FAILTE)
Date modified: Type: Restricted format
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The date on which the resource was last updated or modified, if given.
Medium of the resource: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The material or physical carrier of the resource. (FAILTE)
Technical requirements: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: A description of any specific software requirements and/or required operating systems/browsers needed in order to access the resource. (FAILTE)
Relationship between resources: Type: Table for guided entries
Obligation: Optional Conditional
Definition: The type of relationship that exists between two resources in the FAILTE database paired with the FAILTE ID number of the resources that is related to the one being described. (FAILTE)
Country of origin: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The country in which the resource was created. (FAILTE)
Catalogue: Type: Table for guided entries
Obligation: Optional; Conditional
Definition: A catalogue number or code assigned to the resource paired with the name of the catalogue scheme through which the number has been assigned. (FAILTE)
Contacts: Type: Table for guided entries
Obligation: Optional; Conditional
Definition: The name, contact details and role of any contact associated with the resource for whom FAILTE has permission to store data about. (FAILTE)

EDUCATIONAL

Resource type: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: The specific kind of resource, most dominant first (IMS).
Educational description: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: A textual account of educational aspects of the resource. (FAILTE) Comments on how the resource is to be used. (IMS)
Educational level: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: Levels of HE that the resource is likely to be relevant to. (FAILTE)
Time to use the resource: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The size or duration of the resource (FAILTE) Approximate or typical time it takes to work with the resource. (IMS)
Interactivity type: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: Type and level of interactivity between an end user and the resource. (FAILTE)
Intended end user role: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Normal user of the resource, most dominant first. (IMS)
Tutor support documentation: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition:

METAMETADATA

Record contributors: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: The person/persons involved in the creation of the record. (FAILTE)
Record validator: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The name of the preson responsible for the final draft of the record. (FAILTE)
Date record entered: Type: Restricted format
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: The date on which the record is entered into the database. (FAILTE)
Date to be reviewed: Type: Restricted format
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: Date on which the resource and record are expected to require re-assessment. (FAILTE)
Date last reviewed: Type: Restricted format
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Date on which the resource and record were last assessed. (FAILTE)
Date last modified: Type: Restricted format
Obligation: Optional
Definition: The date on which any modification to the record was made. (FAILTE)
Language of metadata: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: The human language of the metadata record. (FAILTE)
Decision: Type: Restricted vocabulary
Obligation: Compulsory
Definition: A representation of the status of the metadata record.
Comments: Type: Free text
Obligation: Optional
Definition: Annotations made by cataloguers