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Metadata.NSW

Concept help - Distribution

A Distribution describes the structure and format of a specific downloadable collection of data. Multiple Distributions that capture different parts of data or provide different formats for data may be grouped into a single Data Set.

A distribution represents an accessible form of a dataset as for example a downloadable file, an RSS feed or a web service that provides the data.

Fields available on this metadata type

Field ISO definition and Registry Help (where available)
Name The primary name used for human identification purposes.
Definition Representation of a concept by a descriptive statement which serves to differentiate it from related concepts. (3.2.39)
Target Stewardship Organisation Stewardship Organisation the user selected when they create the item, which is where they wanted to item to end up in.
Is Federated
Is Not Federable
Version Unique version identifier of this metadata item.
References Significant documents that contributed to the development of the metadata item which were not the direct source for the metadata content.

Citations in Metadata.NSW should be formatted in the author-date style, as detailed in the Australian Government Style Manual

Please note that Metadata.NSW includes the full URL in angle brackets in citations for accessibility purposes.

Structures for common resource types include:
 
Entire website
  • Structure: 
    Author A (Year) Name of website, Short URL [optional], accessed Day Month Year. <url>
  • Example:
    APSC (Australian Public Service Commission) (2021) Australian Government Style Manual, stylemanual.gov.au, accessed 3 October 2021. <https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/>
Webpage written by an organisation
Webpage with authors listed
Online document
  • Structure: 
    Author A (Year) Title of document, Organisation Name or Name of Website, accessed Day Month Year. <url>
  • Example:
    Western Australian Government (n.d.) Island guide, Rottnest Island, accessed 31 December 2019.<https://www.rottnestisland.com/visit/guides-tips>

 

For more information and additional formats, see the Australian Government Style Manual, ‘Author-date’.

Origin The source (e.g. document, project, discipline or model) for the item (8.1.2.2.3.5)
Comments Descriptive comments about the metadata item (8.1.2.2.3.4)
Deleted The date after which the item has been soft deleted and is no longer visible in the registry
Release Date Date of formal publication of the distribution.
Modification Date Most recent date on which the distribution was changed, updated or modified.
License This links to the license document under which the distribution is made available.
Rights Information about rights held in and over the distribution.
Access Url A landing page, feed, SPARQL endpoint or other type of resource that gives access to the distribution of the dataset.
Download Url A file that contains the distribution of the dataset in a given format.
Byte Size The size of a distribution in bytes. This can be approximated when the precise size is not known.
Media Type The media type of the distribution as defined by Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
Format The file format of the distribution, for example .XLS, .CSV or .DAT.

Custom Fields

Field Short definition Long definition
Security Classification [Core] Security classification of information
[Core] Security classification of information The security classification applied to the asset as specified by the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) The Australian Government uses 3 security classifications: * PROTECTED * SECRET * TOP SECRET All other information from business operations and services is OFFICIAL or, where it is sensitive, OFFICIAL: Sensitive. [NB: the old UNCLASSIFIED classification was renames OFFICIAL (see PSPF v2018.1 Sep 2018)] The originator of the data asset is responsible for applying the relevant Security Classification. This attribute relates to Sensitive Data and Access Rights.
Data Custodian [Core] The custodian(s) of the data asset.
[Core] The custodian(s) of the data asset. The custodian is the agency who has the control of the data asset and has the authority for sharing and disclosure. The custodian may not be the publisher (see Publisher attribute). According to the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022: “An entity is a data custodian if the entity: (a) is a Commonwealth body; and (b) is not an excluded entity; and
Contact Point [Core] Key data roles. The relevant contact information from which information for the asset can be obtained
[Core] Key data roles. The relevant contact information from which information for the asset can be obtained: Directorate, Asset owner position, Asset steward position, Current Owner, Current Steward, Subject matter expert, External Custodian
Keyword (If you are currently using this field, please contact sarah.schokman2@det.nsw.edu.au) [Core] Word(s) or tags that describe the data asset subject matter.
[Core] Word(s) or tags that describe the data asset subject matter. These word(s) or terms describe the topic(s) covered by the data asset. It answers the question “what is this data asset about?” and supports data discovery. When selecting keywords, consider what search terms your users may choose when searching for the data asset. It is recommended to include at least one term from the Australian Governments’ Interactive Functions Thesaurus (AGIFT) that covers words and terms related to Australian Government agencies’ core business functions and activities. Also include words such as Indigenous, Disability or Gender if appropriate to better support the Government’s priority data activities. Where multiple keywords apply, separate the terms with a comma ‘,’.
Temporal coverage The temporal or time period that the distribution covers (if different from the Dataset).

The date range for the data asset. Containing the earliest collected data contained within the asset to the last/latest, or if ongoing - the present.

Official Definition

An accessible form of a dataset as for example a downloadable file. Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT): 5.4 Class: Distribution