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FReSH Metadata Schema

Overview

The FReSH Metadata Schema defines the structure and constraints of the metadata used by the FReSH metadata catalog.

The schema specifies: - Metadata fields and their semantics - Data types and allowed values - Cardinality and mandatory/optional constraints

Schema Structure

The FReSH Metadata Schema is organized into a set of thematic sections.
Each section groups metadata fields that describe a specific aspect of a resource in the FReSH catalog and is documented in a dedicated file.

Sections

  1. Technical metadata
    Defines the technical characteristics of the metadata record itself, including identifiers, schema versioning, and machine-readable properties required for processing and validation.
    See: Technical metadata.md

  2. Study related information
    Describes the study or resource at a conceptual level, including titles, abstracts, keywords, thematic classifications, and high-level contextual information.
    See: Study related information

  3. Administrative information
    Covers governance and responsibility aspects, such as creators, publishers, contacts, roles, and administrative metadata needed for catalog management.
    See: Administrative information

  4. Study methodology
    Documents methodological aspects of the study, including design, methods, instruments, and other information necessary to understand how the data were produced.
    See: Study methodology

  5. Data collection and access
    Describes how data were collected, stored, and made available, including access conditions, formats, distributions, and licensing information.
    See: Data collection and access

Cardinality and Data Types

Cardinality is expressed using standard conventions:

  • 1 – exactly one value (mandatory)
  • 0..1 – zero or one value (optional)
  • 0..n – zero or more values
  • 1..n – one or more values

Data types follow commonly adopted definitions (e.g. string, boolean, date, URI) and may reference external standards where appropriate.

Versioning and Compatibility

An XSD representation of the metadata schema is versioned under the FReSH metadata schema repository.