Assessing metadata quality: findings and methodological considerations from an evaluation of the US Government Information Locator Service (GILS)

Discusses the application of qualitative and quantitative content analysis techniques to assess metadata records. As a component of a larger evaluation study of US Federal agencies' implementation of the Government Information Locator Service (GILS), this metadata assessment developed a set of criteria and procedures for an exploratory investigation into metadata quality. The authors used record content analysis and several other methods to examine whether GILS is helping agencies fulfill information dissemination and management responsibilities and the extent to which GILS is meeting users' expectations. On the basis of the exploratory analysis described, the authors conclude that a range of criteria and procedures may be needed for evaluating different types of metadata (e.g. descriptive, transactional, etc.). In addition to supporting the larger evaluation study of GILS, the results of this analysis of metadata content contributes to a developing dialog about assessing the quality of metadata.