Using Metadata to Organize Files
Metadata is a term that might sound very techie, but it provides a very straightforward (and useful!) way for us to sort files and effectively locate all those little bits of information that we store as future resources. Hurst-Wahl (2008) describes metadata as "data about data". Metadata can serve as guideposts in our digital filing system. Metadata includes such things as keywords/tags, categories, and comments. Many of the files we use can include metadata if we choose to put it in. It is one extra step, so it does add a little time to the initial file save, but ultimately it can save you loads of time in the shear efficiency of the searching and grouping options you have available to you in Windows 7. You have the option of displaying your files by their keywords/tags rather than by their file names.
Watch this screen-cast about using metadata to organize your digital files:
(It may be easier to see if you view it full screen by clicking on the icon at the lower right corner of the video box)
Watch this screen-cast about using metadata to organize your digital files:
(It may be easier to see if you view it full screen by clicking on the icon at the lower right corner of the video box)
Resources
J Hurst-Wahl. (2008, Jan 10). Digitization 101: Metadata (definition). Retrieved from http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2008/01/metadata-definition.html
J Hurst-Wahl. (2008, Jan 10). Digitization 101: Metadata (definition). Retrieved from http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2008/01/metadata-definition.html