I have used MIDAS as the basis for data management for my research. I
don't think that's been mentioned before in this discussion - MIDAS can
be used for private as opposed to public applications - ones where there
is only one 'user'. I have found the manual in its current form to be a
good way of approaching the knowledge management needed in research. If
the designer/user is concerned (as I am) that the data they collect may
be of interest and use to others, using the standard has the additional
benefit of enabling the data to be transferred into other appropriate
public applications, such as sites and monuments records.
I am looking at the use of a construction technique used across the
world, and as a result have had to adapt the location information scheme
to suit recording in non-English contexts. Is there a need to provide a
second 'location information scheme' for use in multi-national contexts?
The text makes it clear that long/lat and os grid reference are
alternatives, but the table shows os as recommended, and long/lat as
additional. I have abandoned recording the national grid although it was
my intention, originally, to record this in addition to the long/lat
which is recorded for all sites - I simply don't have the time to do the
conversions, and it adds no information. I have also recorded an
additional unit of information: the standard of long/lat used. I have
been using web-based sources (such as www.streetmap.co.uk) to discover
the longitude and latitude of buildings which I have recorded from
photographs, and have therefore used the units of information: website
used, date website visited, and exactitude (this is because a photograph
may simply record that it is in a certain parish, or on a certain road -
the terminology I use is exact/fair/parish/Getty.
I have also used hierarchical administrative areas rather than
county/district/parish, which correspond, in England, to
Nation/Goverment Office Region/County-UA/Borough-
Parish/Locality/Street/Number
Best wishes to all,
Pat
(who hopes that that is clear - I'm rather jet-lagged - if the
internationalisation of MIDAS is of interest, and it isn't clear, please
do get back to me)
--
Pat Reynolds
[log in to unmask]
"It might look a bit messy now,
but just you come back in 500 years time"
(T. Pratchett)
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