William and I have been working on the text for suggested reveision of the
IFA standards, and now have a version for circulation. I will split it into
four emails (including this one) so that comment can focus on particular
areas if need be. As mentioned in previous emails, this needs to go to the
IFA by end of February, so we need your comments THIS WEEK if they are to be
incorporated.
First section of our proposal is as follows:-
"Introduction
The following document proposes a series of additions to the Institute of
Field Archaeologists Standards and Guidance documents. The additions are
intended to make the unique and irreplaceable information collected in the
field more widely available in a shorter time, and in a format more suitable
for re-use in future research or future fieldwork. The proposed changes
therefore highlight the importance of shared 'data standards' to complement
the guidance on best practice procedures currently included in the IFA
Standards.
The additions consist of :-
1) additional paragraphs to be added to each of the Standards documents
(the relevant section is identified in each case). Also some minor changes
to wording of existing paragraphs.
2) Suggested Annexes to be added to the end of each Standard, expanding
on the recommendations
3) Additions to the general Appendices to the Standards giving further
explanation and sources of advice.
The additions have been drafted by William Kilbride of the Archaeology Data
Service and Edmund Lee of the English Heritage Data Services Unit. A draft
of the suggested additions has been circulated for comment to the Forum on
Information Standards in Heritage discussion list, which currently has over
130 members drawn from a range of heritage and historic environment records
holding organisations."
Edmund Lee
FISH Coordinator
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Find out more about FISH, the Forum on Information Standards in Heritage at
its email discussion group at
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/fish/
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