Metadata Standards and Information Taxonomies module (RM50019)

As an archivist or records manager, your role has two important facets: managing the material in your charge and making it retrievable.

You will need the right tools to organise digital or paper-based records effectively.

In this module, you will learn about metadata. This will cover their definitions, typologies, purposes, standards and applications.

You will also learn the benefits of taxonomies and classification systems for information organization and discovery.

Metadata describes the content. It provides context and helps ascertain the about-ness of an information object such as a record.

Metadata standards help us to describe items in records collections and archives in a consistent manner.

It can also be used for managing records collections and archives.

Metadata aids information or records retrieval.

Digital and print information resources are continuing to grow in volume and diversity. This is taking place in archives, libraries, museums and other organisations.

As this happens, there is a central need for good metadata. This needs to be accurate, relevant, structured, scalable, enriched and interoperable. This will support the description, management, retrieval, discovery and access to the information.

What will you learn

In this module you will:

• be introduced to the role, purpose, standards for and management of metadata
• examine the role of metadata in the management of records
• consider the principles of classification and the development of taxonomies
• examine how the use of metadata and taxonomies is pivotal to effective storage and retrieval

By the end of the module, you will be able to:

• understand what metadata and taxonomies are
• be familiar with the key standards in these areas
• appreciate how the use of metadata and taxonomies can be integrated with records management techniques. This will allow you to improve the information flow

Assignments / assessment

Coursework (100%) consisting of: 

• essay (30%)
• report (30%)
• assessed tasks (30%) 
• discussion board participation (10%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable 

• independent study (100%)