What is LDaCA?
The Language Data Commons of Australia is research infrastructure which aims to bring people, both academic and non-academic users, and data together. The data is nationally significant collections which represent language use in Australia, now and in our history. (See also 'What is a data commons?' below.)
What is metadata?
Metadata is the information that defines and describes data. It is often referred to as data about data or information about data because it provides data users with information about the purpose, processes, and methods involved in the data collection. (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics > Metadata). See also the metadata page on this site.
What is a data commons?
A data commons is cloud-based infrastructure coupled with governance strategies and principles that allow a community to use, share, manage and analyse its data.
LDaCA is a language data commons serving researchers and community groups that are interested in language data.
What are FAIR and CARE?
These are two complementary sets of principles for data management and stewardship.
According to the FAIR principles, data should be:
- Findable
- Accessible
- Interoperable
- Reuseable
According to the CARE principles, developed by the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, our use of data should be guided by considering:
- Collective Benefit
- Authoruty to Control
- Responsibility
- Ethics
The CARE principles were developed in relation to Indigenous data, but we believe that researchers should adopt this approach in all cases where the people who participate in our research can be seen to have some moral rights in the information they have contributed.
While the FAIR principles are about making it easier to share and reuse data, the CARE principles ensure that data is used ethically.
We have more information about these principles on our website and in our blog.