Data, metadata and information

Issue title: Statistical Metainformation Systems

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Hand, David J.

Affiliations: Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK

Abstract: Data consist of more than merely the numbers representing the magnitudes of attributes of the objects being investigated. The other component of data is the meaning of the numbers – the context in which they arose – the “metadata”. A distinction is made between context-specific metadata and context-free metadata. The latter is illustrated in depth with the example of measurement scale. Brief discussions are given of general issues relating to metadata research.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1993-10206

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 143-151, 1993