The Central Role of Metadata in a Science Data Literacy Course

Science research is increasingly computer and network enabled and referred to as e-science. The change has had an impact on the information environment in which scientists across disciplines operate to conduct their research. This paper reports on an NSF-funded project at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies (2007–2009) that examined this changing environment and directed specific attention to digital data management practices. A local faculty survey of data management practices and attitudes was conducted, as was a scan of related courses at peer institutions. Knowledge about data management in e-science was used to design a new course addressing data-related literacy for science students and teach them skills for managing data created as part of the scientific research process. Throughout the project, metadata proved to have a central role in how scientists operate in the e-science information environment and to be a key component of data literacy in the e-science environment.