Metadatafor

Metadatafor is a term used in data management to describe a mechanism for associating metadata with a specific resource. It denotes a link or pointer from a metadata record to the resource it describes, enabling precise targeting of descriptive data such as title, creator, date, rights, and provenance.

In practice, a metadata record may include a value for metadatafor that identifies the subject resource, such as a dataset, file, or object in a repository. The value can be a URI, DOI, stable identifier, or internal catalog ID.

This mechanism supports disambiguation when metadata about multiple resources is aggregated, and it facilitates linking metadata across systems, enabling better search and interoperability. It is commonly implemented within JSON-based or RDF/XML schemas, where metadatafor acts as a pointer to the target resource's identifier; in JSON-LD, it can be expressed as a property whose value references the subject's IRI. In RDF or linked data contexts, metadatafor may be modeled as a predicate connecting a metadata record to the resource's IRI.

Example: a metadata record for a dataset might include metadatafor: urn:dataset:ds123 along with standard fields like title and creator.

While not a formal universal standard, the idea aligns with established practices in metadata schemas such as Dublin Core and schema.org, where resources are identified by stable identifiers and metadata describe those resources. Potential limitations include ensuring the uniqueness and persistence of metadatafor values across systems.

See also: metadata, metadata schema, linked data.