Intermediary schemas for complex XML applications: an example from research information management

Authors

  • Richard Gartner Centre for e-Research, King's College London

Abstract

The complexity and flexibility of some XML schemas can make their implementation difficult in working environments. This is particularly true of CERIF, a standard for the interchange of research management information, which consists of 192 interlinked XML schemas. This article examines a possible approach of using 'intermediary' XML schemas, and associated XSLT stylesheets, to make such applications easier to employ. It specifically examines the use of an intermediary schema, CERIF4REF, which was designed to allow UK Higher Education institutions to submit data for a national periodic research assessment exercise in CERIF. The wider applicability of this methodology, particularly in relation to the METS standard, is also discussed.

Author Biography

Richard Gartner, Centre for e-Research, King's College London

Richard Gartner, the Information and Knowledge Specialist at the Centre for e-Research, King's College London is a metadata specialist of over twenty years' experience. He was the project manager of the Readiness for REF (R4R) project, for which he wrote the CERIF4REF schema. He also teaches metadata theory and practice to MA students at King's College London. He previously worked as metadata strategy co-ordinator for the Oxford Digital Library (Oxford University) and is a member of the editorial board for the METS standard.

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Published

2011-06-03

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Section

Articles