A user-friendly framework for metadata and microdata documentation based on international standards and the PCBS experience

This paper discussed and investigated the experience of Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) [1] in designing documentation model and user-friendly framework for metadata and microdata documentation. PCBS uses two metadata specifications: the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) [2] and the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) [3]. Both are defined in the Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) and the Resource Description Framework (RDF). This paper focused also on the DDI and DCMI as well as its relationship to other relevant metadata standards (e.g., The Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX)) [4] and the semantic web technologies, we addressed the features of these standards as Richer content, Coverage, On-line analytical capability, Search capability and Interoperability since these standards are defined in the Extensible Mark-up Language (XML).