Controlled Vocabularies for Scientific Data: Users and Desired Functionalities

The data was collected through a web survey conducted by the Metadata Research Center at UNC-Chapel Hill (now at Drexel). The survey link was distributed to the DataNet community. The web survey targeted DataNet partners affiliated with DataONE (Data Observation Network for Earth), DFC, SEAD (Sustainable Environment Actionable Data), and TerraPop (Terra Populus). Scientists, curators, administrators, and repository developers who were involved in the deposit or management of scientific research data in repositories could participate in this study. The survey was open for response from May 17, 2013 to July 15, 2013. In total, there were 243 participants involved in the survey who answered questions about their duties, usage of data repositories and controlled vocabularies, and future desired tools of controlled vocabularies.