INTRODUCING METADATA
Here are 3 definitions that defined & described metadata in easier language. 'Metadata = data about data' or 'information about information'.
1. From EDNA http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/resources/metadata
'Metadata is structured information that is created specifically to describe another resource. It provides basic information such as the author, the date of creation and the subject matter of the item described.
Metadata can be compared to a library catalogue record that facilitates discovery of a particular work by providing information such as title, author, publisher, subject, description of the work, location, etc.'
Consistent cataloguing of online resources maximises opportunities for searchers to find the most relevant and comprehensive set of resources for their purposes. Metadata can also be used to organise, store and retrieve items for information management purposes. The advantage of using a metadata standard is that data sets will inter operate with other sets that use the same standard.
2. From techterms http://www.techterms.com/definition/metadata
Metadata describes other data. It provides information about a certain item's content. For example, an image may include metadata that describes how large the picture is, the color depth, the image resolution, when the image was created, and other data. A text document's metadata may contain information about how long the document is, who the author is, when the document was written, and a short summary of the document.
3. http://www.osdm.gov.au/Metadata/default.aspx
Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates or otherwise makes is easier to retrieve, use or manage an information resource. Metadata is often called data about data or information about information.
Having no metadata is like an unlabeled steel can. Without knowledge of its provenance the only way to determine content and appropriate use would be to open it, subject it to analysis, measurement and expert judgement. Like the information given on a food label, metadata is given in a standard format so that no matter what label you are looking at, you know that it has to give certain information.
The definitions all highlight the need for a standard and describes information of a resource. Metadata assists with providing access to (retrieval), storage and management of a resource. Peta De San Miguel, 27/07/10, forum post.
Increasingly this term refers to any data used to aid the identification, description and location of networked electronic resources ...
swdb.berkeley.edu/glossary.html
Other references:
http://www.neal-schuman.com/sandbox/images/pdf/9781555706357.pdf
http://www.rsp.ac.uk/pubs/briefingpapers-docs/repoadmin-metadata.pdf
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/cat/meta.htm
Metadata definition provides information about the distinct items, such as:
means of creation,
purpose of the data,
time and date of creation,
creator or author of data,
placement on a network (electronic form) where the data was created,
what standards used
etc.
For example: A digital image may include metadata that describes how large the picture is, the color depth, the image resolution, when the image was created, and other data. A text document's metadata may contain information about how long the document is, who the author is, when the document was written, and a short summary of the document.
Metadata has been used in various forms as a means of cataloging archived information. The Dewey Decimal System employed by libraries for the indexing of books is an early example of metadata usage. This system used small 3x5 inch cards to display a book's title, author, subject matter, and a brief plot synopsis along with an abbreviated alpha-numeric identification system which indicated the physical location of the book within the library's shelves. Such data helps classify, aggregate, identify, and locate a particular book."
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