Today’s Agenda1. Review day 1– What was one thing that really stood out to you

from yesterday?

2. Recommended metadata / templates

3. Activity: practice writing metadata

4. Activity: Action planning

5. Summary

Guidance on writing metadata

• There are two kinds of metadata presentation that need attention:

–Metadata for presentation with data

–Metadata about an overall data series

Metadata for presentation with data

Metadata about an overall data series

1.Name of data series2.Goal and target addressed3.Method of computation4.Definition5.Rationale6.Sources and data collection7.Gender issues8.Comments and limitations9.Periodicity of measurement

1.Name of data series2.Goal and target addressed3.Method of computation4.Definition5.Rationale6.Sources and data collection7.Gender issues8.Comments and limitations9.Periodicity of measurement

Metadata presented with dataMandatory metadata 1. Title describing data being presented

2. Data provider3. Statistical concepts and definitions

Conditional metadata 4. Comparability (geographical / over time)5. Source data6. Symbols or abbreviations

Optional metadata 7. Accuracy8. Contact information9. References / Relevant links

Should accompany all presentations of data.

Should be included where conditions require it.

Depends on the target audience. Could be provided as links.

• Statistical unit: entity for which statistics are compiled (e.g. persons, households, events, enterprises).

• Reference area: the country or geographic area to which the measured statistical phenomenon relates.

• Reference period: the period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer.

• Unit of measure: the unit in which the data values are measured.

1. Title

Mandatory metadata 1. Title describing data being presented2. Data provider3. Statistical concepts and definitions

e.g. Contraceptive Prevalence Rate amongst Married Women aged 15-49 (%), Tanzania, 2008

Name of the organization that produced the data

•E.g. Central Statistics Agency of Ethiopia

•E.g. United Nations Education and Science Organization (UNESCO)

2. Data provider

Mandatory metadata 1. Title describing data being presented2. Data provider3. Statistical concepts and definitions

Characteristics of data as defined by a statement that represents the essential nature of the term

e.g. ‘contributing family worker’ is a concept and a definition is needed to explain what the concept means

3. Statistical concepts and definitions

Mandatory metadata 1. Title describing data being presented2. Data provider3. Statistical concepts and definitions

Contributing family worker: Persons who were working without pay in the business or farm of another household/family member.

Source: Country A, Population and Housing Census, 2010

Total

No education / not stated

Contributing family worker population age 15-64, by level of education and sex, Country A, 2010

Contributing Family Worker

Male Female

28,899 18,953

14,352 11,396

49.7% 60.1%

An explanation should be provided in a footnote where differences between statistics can be attributed to differences between the true values of statistical characteristics.

e.g. where an age range or reference period differs from what is specified in the title

4. Comparability

Conditional metadata 4. Comparability (geographical / over time)5. Source data6. Symbols or abbreviations

Employment to population ratioWomen aged 15-64 years (percentages)

Characteristics and components of the raw statistical data used for compiling statistical aggregates, i.e. type of primary source (e.g. survey, census, administrative records) and any relevant characteristics (e.g. sample size for survey data).

5. Source data

Conditional metadata 4. Comparability (geographical / over time)5. Source data6. Symbols or abbreviations

OECD recommends: “Type of data source (administrative, survey or census), reference period, full official title of the series, full name of the source agency or institution”

e.g. Household survey (sample size = 18,720 households), 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, Central Statistical Agency / ICF International.

Any symbols or abbreviations used in the presentation of data should be explained.

E.g. N/A is not applicable.

6. Symbols or abbreviations

Conditional metadata 4. Comparability (geographical / over time)5. Source data6. Symbols or abbreviations

Metadata to describe the closeness of computations or estimates to the exact or true values that the statistics were intended to measure.

7. Accuracy

Optional metadata 7. Accuracy8. Contact information9. References / Relevant links

Individual or organizational contact points for the data, including information on how to reach the contact points.

e.g. website, mail address, phone, email

8. Contact information

Optional metadata 7. Accuracy8. Contact information9. References / Relevant links

Further information and reading on data collection methods, related analytical reports or general information that may be of value to readers.

e.g. link to metadata on the data series / user guides

9. References / Relevant links

Optional metadata 7. Accuracy8. Contact information9. References / Relevant links

Figure 14: Number of university students, by age and sex, Timor-Leste 2010

Data provider: Directorate of National Statistics, Timor-LesteSource data: Population and Housing Census of Timor-Leste, 2010

University students are those individuals that identified themselves as currently studying at a university institution, either within Timor-Leste or abroad. Includes part-time and full-time students.

As per UNESCO recommendations (2009), the official age range of university students is the five years following completion of secondary school: ages 19-24 in the case of Timor-Leste.

For more information on this data series go to www.dne.gov/educationstats

Age of university students

Metadata about an overall data series

1.Name of data series2.Goal and target addressed3.Method of computation4.Definition5.Rationale6.Sources and data collection7.Gender issues8.Comments and limitations9.Periodicity of measurement

1.Name of data series2.Goal and target addressed3.Method of computation4.Definition5.Rationale6.Sources and data collection7.Gender issues8.Comments and limitations9.Periodicity of measurement

Activity: Practice Writing Metadata for a data series

• Work in pairs to draft metadata for one MDG indicator1. Select an indicator2. Choose which country you will write the

metadata for3. Using the template provided to complete

metadata

mdgs.un.org

Expectations of the workshop

• Better understanding of metadata• Tools to apply what we learn• Acquire knowledge to produce and

disseminate better metadata• Develop skills of other data producers• Get managerial support: resources and will• Guidance on how to customize MDG

metadata to reflect national practices

Expectations of the workshop

• How to build on what NSOs have already done• SDMX: what is it and how to implement?• Standard format for writing metadata• How to narrow the gap between different

data sources?• How to build a data warehouse?• Resolve international and national

discrepancies