I would think that we need to model the most detailed view then make it
scalable across the schema so some users can do everything others will
decide to just take the key elements.
Jason
-----Original Message-----
From: Dominique de Moulins [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 2:48 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [FISH] e-conference: MIDAS Research and Analysis - an
annexe for archaeological science
Edmund,
I have read your papers and although I recognise that you are dealing
with
the same topics/fields as those we agreed on during the workshops, I
wonder whether what you propose actually supersede what has been
decided
before which is roughly set out in the table I showed in early e-mails.
Your two parts worked example at the end of the annexe seems much more
complicated than the table we have been discussing. As usual, I worry
about
the way it is going to be applied...
Also, are you proposing as in your table 1 of the worked example a
sample
by sample data entry? I thought that we had ruled that out because it is
too detailed and means too much work for the SMR officers.
Dominique
At 15:58 31/01/2005, you wrote:
>Thanks Dominique,
>
>This short presentation is intended to introduce the background to
MIDAS,
>then to review the current first consultation draft of an annex to
MIDAS,
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/FISH/ArchSci_MIDAS_annex_v2.rtf
>intended to cover the range of archaeological science data discussed
here.
>
> 1. Background
>
> MIDAS was developed in 1996-98 as a national (English that is) manual
> and data standard for monument inventories. It sets out guidance on
what
> information should be recorded, and how, to achieve a given objective.
> The areas covered by the first edition included Monument character,
> Events and Bibliographic or other information source data, plus other
> areas that could be associated with any of those main areas
(Locational
> data, Associated People and Organisations, Names and References).
Since
> the publication of the first edition two annexes have appeared
covering
> GIS or mapped data and Maritime or Aircraft. All are available via the
> FISH website www.fish-forum.info (and follow the links) or via the
> English Heritage website at www.english-heritage.org.uk/midas. The
> exception is the Maritime and Aircraft annex which is currently
available
> in the file store for this list, pending re-working of the EH website.
>
> The intention is to produce a second UK-wide edition of MIDAS for
> publication in 2006, and preparatory work is already underway.
However,
> given the advanced state of the discussion of archaeological science
> data, it seems appropriate to publish this as a final annex to the
first
> edition. This and the other annexes will be incorporated into the 2nd
> edition along with other topics. See the FISH list message archive for
> September 2003 for early discussion of coverage of the 2nd edition.
>
>1a. A note on MIDAS jargon
>MIDAS contains two sections. The first sets out 'Information Schemes'.
>These are general subject areas that are covered by MIDAS. So for
example
>'Monument Character' is an Information Scheme covering the description
of
>whole monuments. The second details the individual 'units of
information'
>used for each Information Scheme. These are the basic facts or items of
>data. So 'Monument Type' is a unit of information within the Monument
>Character.
>
> 2. The 'Research and Standards' annex
>
> The first draft of the annex, under the working title 'Research and
> Analysis' is available in the filestore at
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/FISH/ArchSci_MIDAS_annex_v2.rtf (183K
> download). I should stress that this is a draft to canvass ideas. It
will
> be modified subsequent to discussion and formally peer-reviewed later
> this year.
>
> I've drafted it to cover a wider range of analytical work than the
> environmental and conservation work discussed so far. Its scope is
> defined as: -
>
> "Records of analytical work that gathers information about and
describes
> characteristics of material remains"
>
> This could be environmental samples or collections of artefacts, but
I'm
> hoping it could also include work to analyse groups of monuments or
other
> landscape features. The morphological analysis of crop-mark sites
> undertaken by the EH National Mapping Programme might be an example.
I'd
> be interested to hear if conference thinks this is too
> ambitious!
>
> Within that framework a distinction is made between what I loosely
call
> 'Sample / Assemblage' i.e. things selected for study, and
> 'Investigations'. The distinction is made as a sample might exist for
> years with no investigation work carried out on it, but it is still
> important to record its existence, and other data (what it is, how
old
> it is, preservation state, importance or potential) so that it can be
> managed, identified and prioritised for future research etc. The
> Investigation then records what has been done to a sample, what
technique
> has been used and what results gained.
>
> 'Units of information' are then identified - basic 'facts' that
should
> be recorded to produce an adequate record. These are defined in the
> second half of the annex. Some of these are 'Recommended' others are
> optional. Many recommend the use of a controlled indexing vocabulary
> (thesaurus, wordlist etc). Initial work on these has been introduced
by
> Gill and Ian.
>
> Existing standards in MIDAS are also referred to, so that, for
example,
> the Events standard may be used to record details of the provenance of
> the sample, People and Organisations standards can be used to record
who
> has undertaken the investigation, Bibliography etc can cover where the
> results have been published or made available.
>
> A table at the end illustrates a possible application.
>
> 3. How it might work in reality.
>
> The draft annex is defined in deliberately broad or generic terms.
One
> point when thinking about how it might be applied. The 'units of
> information' do not necessarily correspond to fields in a database or
> boxes on a form. They simply identify information that needs to be
> recorded in some way. Take for example the 'Research Objective' unit
of
> information defined as "The objective or intention of a particular
> example of research work". One researcher might use a different form
for
> recording the procedures and results of say quantification of pottery
> assemblages from identification of their fabrics. That's fine. The
> distinction between the two Objectives can be made.
>
> 4. Issues
>
> As I say, this is an early draft and there are plenty of issues (some
> listed in the annex) which conference may wish to comment upon. Ian
has
> already commented, for example, that conservation work is often a form
of
> investigation, and can therefore be treated in the same way as other
> analytical procedures from the point of view of data standards.
>
>I look forward to comments on the draft, and issues raised,
>
>Edmund Lee
>Data Standards Supervisor
>Data Standards Unit
>English Heritage
>National Monuments Record Centre
>Kemble Drive
>Swindon
>SN2 2GZ
>United Kingdom
>
>t: +44 (0) 1793 414791
>e: [log in to unmask]
>f: +44 (0) 1793 414770
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