Dataset for Paradata in data publishing – an analysis of methods information in data publishing metadata

The purpose of the data collection is to provide new knowledge about practices of including metadata describing research methods in the documentation of published datasets. This metadata is understood as a particular form of paradata. The chapter written based on the data analyzes metadata posts for datasets using directed qualitative content analysis to inquire into the contents of methods descriptions and the goals they serve. Results show that methods information in metadata posts do not in and of themselves serve to support re-use of the datasets they describe. Rather, researchers use the metadata post as a node in an information ecosystem where other pivotal nodes are the dataset itself but also related documents and publications with narrative text. To conclude, we identify a discrepancy between the the ideas about exhaustive bibliographic descriptions underpinning the FAIR principles on the one hand, and data description and data publishing practices on the other hand. We suggest further research on researchers’ intertextual crafting of methods descriptions, and how repository software and curatorial services better can support researchers’ practices.本次数据采集的目的在于为已发布数据集文档中纳入描述研究方法的元数据（metadata）相关实践提供新的认知。此类元数据被视为附属数据（paradata）的一类特殊形式。 本章节基于本次采集的数据，采用定向定性内容分析（directed qualitative content analysis）方法，对数据集的元数据条目展开分析，以探究研究方法描述的具体内容及其所承载的目标。研究结果显示，元数据条目中的方法类信息本身并不能辅助其所描述的数据集的复用工作。实际上，研究人员将元数据条目视作信息生态系统中的一个节点，该生态系统的其他关键节点既包括数据集本身，也涵盖带有叙述性文本的相关文档与出版物。综上，本研究发现，以详尽文献著录为核心支撑的FAIR原则（FAIR principles）的理念，与数据描述及数据出版的实际实践之间存在显著差异。本研究建议，未来可围绕研究人员对研究方法描述的互文性构建，以及仓储软件与编审服务如何更好地适配研究人员的相关实践展开进一步探索。