Jane Fry, Carleton UniversityJane Fry, Carleton UniversityMichelle Edwards, University of GuelphMichelle Edwards, University of Guelph

Jane Fry, Carleton UniversityJane Fry, Carleton UniversityMichelle Edwards, University of GuelphMichelle Edwards, University of Guelph

<odesi> <odesi> Best Practices DocumentBest Practices Document

<odesi> <odesi> Best Practices DocumentBest Practices Document

Where did we start?Where did we start?

<Guelph & Carleton tagset documents

<Queen’s started working on their document

<A number of other institutions interested • wanted to join and contribute

Did NOT want to re-invent the wheel

and

Did NOT want to duplicate efforts

International DDI “Standard”International DDI “Standard”

<All three documents began with the complete DDI 2.x codebook

<Each document contained the required tags for DDI Light

<Therefore, didn’t need to start from scratch

Summer 2007: Summer 2007: How we joined effortsHow we joined efforts

<Three meetings:

• June – Guelph

• July - Queen’s

• August - Carleton

Goal of our meetingsGoal of our meetings

<To produce one document

• Consistent and easy to interpret tag definitions – based on DDI “bible”

• Consistent formatting for Ontario files

Process (Logistics)Process (Logistics)

<Tag by tag – each of 5 DDI sections

• Definitions

• Examples

• Formatting

CollaborationCollaboration

<Three different points of view

<Two different servers to view

<Three different documents to examine

And then …And then …

Lots of discussion … more discussion … DDI break … a few of us lost our minds along the way … more discussion … emails to DDI … more discussion … eventually a decision … more discussion … and then …

The Best Practices Document

Structure of the Document (BPD)Structure of the Document (BPD)

<Introduction

<Main document• Five sections of DDI

<Appendices

BPD IntroductionBPD Introduction

<Overview of <odesi> project

<Overview of DDI 2.x

<What is a tag and how to set it up

<Questions, comments and contact info

Structure of Each DDI SectionStructure of Each DDI Section

<Overview of each section<Table of all tags<Each tag• Mandatory / optional & repeatable

& attributes• Description• Formatting notes• Examples

Structure of Each DDI SectionStructure of Each DDI Section

<Same structure for each of the 5 DDI codebook sections• Document Description• Study Description• File Description• Variable Description• Other Material

Tag FormattingTag Formatting

<BPD recommends common formatting for all tags

<Any unique formatting highlighted with

Tag Example:Tag Example:

Formatting Note: • Format for Agency/Institution and

Place of Work/Department:Name of Agency/Institution. Name of Place

of Work/Department(yes, that is a period between the two place names!)

• Format for Names: Last name, First name

Many examples for tags:Many examples for tags:

<rspStmt>  <AuthEnty affiliation="University of Guelph.

Data Resource Centre">Edwards, Michelle</AuthEnty>

  <AuthEnty affiliation="University of Guelph. Data Resource Centre"> Fair, Aaron</AuthEnty>

<AuthEnty affiliation="University of Guelph. Data Resource Centre"> Brett, Jan</AuthEnty>

</rspStmt>

To end each DDI sectionTo end each DDI section

<Complete html example at the end of each section

<Why?• To show how all the tags fit

together

BPD Appendices:BPD Appendices:

1. Glossary

2. Related Information

3. Data Documentation Initiative

1. BPD Glossary1. BPD Glossary

<Always helpful for a quick reference

<Contains:• DDI• CDATA• OntarioBuys• XML Schema• …

2. BPD Related Information2. BPD Related Information

<Two sections:• Statistics Canada• Sources – where to find tag

content

• Nesstar• a list of Nesstar-related issues• Tag number differences

3. BPD Data Documentation 3. BPD Data Documentation InitiativeInitiative

<An overview of the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI)

<Basis of this project

Where is the BPD?Where is the BPD?

<Document is loaded and available on a Wiki

http://www.odesi.ca

BPD FeedbackBPD Feedback

<Received some feedback to date

<Looking for more

<More feedback and community participation = a more comprehensive document

BPD Updates ComingBPD Updates Coming

<Appendices to be revised to include information on other DDI tools

<Additional tags to be included, especially variable format

Version 2 of BPD to be released by the end of

January 2008

Please contact us with your comments & feedback

odesi@uoguelph.ca