The Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) is an international standard for describing the data produced by surveys and other observational methods in the social, behavioral, economic, and health sciences.
For the European DDI User Conference 2021, we are seeking presentations, talks, papers on all things DDI:
- Case Studies
- Mature implementations
- Early Implementations
- Interplay of DDI with other standards or technologies
- Projects in early phases in which DDI is under consideration
- Critiques of DDI
We strongly encourage papers in different areas to ensure that a broad balance of topics is covered which will attract the greatest breadth of participants. For content types and presentation forms see the section on submission below.
The proposed topics of the conference are outlined below. We expect that many presentations will cross over between topic areas but that should not discourage proposals, although you will be asked to nominate one category when submitting. Please also note that the possible topics are not exclusive to those listed:
User Needs, Efficient Infrastructures and Improved Quality.
Rich, standard-based metadata can a) improve the fulfilment of the need for better documentation for researchers and other users both for primary use and re-use of data; b) improve efficiency by providing infrastructures that drive data collection, data processing and dissemination (e.g. metadata-portals); c) improve quality of our products and processes. Papers describing innovative solutions covering the parts of or the whole life-cycle from collection to dissemination based on metadata are encouraged. Papers focusing on metadata driven production are welcomed as well.
Official Statistics.
National and international statistical organizations around the world are collaborating on modernizing and standardizing their processes for collecting and disseminating data. As they look to the future, these organizations share a need for inter-related standards like the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), the Generic Activity Model for Statistical Organizations (GAMSO), the Generic Statistical Information Model (GSIM), the Common Statistical Production Architecture (CSPA), DDI, and SDMX. We welcome papers with a focus on standards in the context of official statistics.
Reusing and Sharing Metadata.
DDI is strongly focused on the principles of metadata re-use and interoperability. “Enter once and use many times” is a powerful paradigm that can lead to improved fulfilment of user needs, improved quality and improved efficiency. Over recent years, FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) has gained favour as an over-arching term which includes interoperability. Presentations which demonstrate the use of DDI to implement FAIR Principles are encouraged, as are papers that demonstrate innovative ways to re-use and share metadata.
Data Harmonization.
There is increasing interest in using data harmonization to maximize the value of large scale population research in health and social sciences for both documentation and processing purposes. DDI has rich constructs such as Concept, Comparison and Group, and most recently enhanced by the addition of ConceptualVariable and RepresentedVariable in DDI 3.2. We encourage papers which describe projects utilizing DDI or exploring DDI as a basis for harmonizing data.
Incentives to Document Data.
The advantage of having good documentation on data is rarely challenged, but it is often left as the last thing (or maybe not even that) to do on a research project. This is because the benefits for researchers come largely from publication and not from the data itself. In this context, changing both the culture and the rewards for documentation and sharing of data might be seen as key motivators. We encourage papers exploring this topic with the focus on DDI.
Open Data and Linked Open Data.
As the “Open Data” movement – which aims to make data more freely available – gains more and more attention in science and humanities, especially in the area of government data, the value of data that are easy to access and not limited by restrictive licenses is acknowledged. By using “Linked Open Data” technologies, the ability to create reproducible and transparent research is enabled. For both, high quality metadata that is standardized and machine-actionable, like DDI metadata, is crucial. We encourage papers in the area of Open Data and Linked Open Data with a focus on DDI.
Privacy and Access Control.
The sharing of data or metadata is sometimes restricted due to privacy issues or property rights. Especially, but not exclusively, in health research there is the need to protect the privacy of persons to whom the data refer. In social sciences and humanities, data can contain copyrighted material like texts and photos. Access rights can be determined by well standardized metadata. Thus good metadata management enables the protection of research participants’ and researchers’ rights and ensures an organization’s investment in data and metadata. We encourage papers in the area of concepts or implementations of privacy and access control issues with a focus on DDI.
Metadata versus Data and Related Ethics.
In the case of surveys, there is usually a clear distinction between data and metadata. However, for example, in the context of qualitative research the boundary between data and metadata is less clear-cut. This issue also arises with big data sources like Facebook and other social media. Ultimately what is perceived to be data and what is perceived to be metadata is defined by research questions. This poses some difficult questions for research ethics when release, use and access to data usually have governance, yet metadata conceivably does not. We encourage papers focusing on this area of tension with the background of DDI.
Software / Tools.
The acceptance and adoption of a “standard” depends on the availability of re-usable tools and software to utilize it. Many new tools that leverage DDI are emerging, and they target different parts of the data life cycle. We encourage papers showcasing tools and software which make use of DDI or parts of it.
Submission
Content Types
- Scientific: Contributions with a scientific method are based on empirical evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. Either hypotheses are evaluated according to field observations or experiments, or developments are undertaken in order to analyze the results for theories or concepts relevant to the whole field. The starting point for contributions following the scientific method should be a review of already published knowledge.
- Impact for the Community: Contributions with an impact for the community show a model or development which has considerable consequences on applications in the community. They should be of broad interest and relevant to most of the auditorium.
- Project Report: Project reports describe a specific model, application, or activity in a concise presentation, covering a more limited auditorium. They should be completely described, usable for other potential implementers, and clearly presented.
Presentation Forms
- Complete Session: Proposals for complete sessions should list the organizer or moderator and possible participants. The session organizer will be responsible for securing both session participants and a chair. This is designed for sessions which could be described as a Discussion, Plenary or Birds of a Feather.
- The submission should provide titles, author names, and a brief description for each of the individual presentations and email the details to Program Committee (eddi21-prog@googlegroups.com).
- Submission: abstract (300 words maximum).
- Full Paper: The presentation will be approx. 20 minutes long, plus 10 minutes for questions at the end.
- Accepted papers will be presented at the conference. They can be published in the journal IASSIST Quarterly. At least one author of each paper is expected to register for the conference and to present the paper.
- Submission: abstract (200 words maximum).
- A draft of the paper of 8-12 pages with appendices must be sent in addition to the Program Committee (eddi21-prog@googlegroups.com) for review until September 15, 2021 (see section Author Guideline below).
- Regular Presentation: The presentation will be approx. 20 minutes long, plus 10 minutes for questions at the end.
- Submission: abstract (200 words maximum).
- Short Presentation: The presentations will be approx. 10 minutes long, plus 5 minutes for questions at the end.
- Submission: abstract (200 words maximum).
- Tutorial or Workshop: Half-day or full-day tutorials (introductions) or workshops (more advanced special topics) with respectively 2 and 4 blocks each lasting 90 minutes in length.
- These are scheduled to take place on Monday, November 29, 2021
- The abstract should describe the topic, the perspective (business or technical), the intended audience and possible prerequisites. Hands-on exercises could rely on the participants using laptop computers.
- Submission: abstract (300 words maximum).
Online Submission System
If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please login at sciencesconf.org to use the submission system. You will have first to create an account, or just log-in if you have already have one.
In section “My submission” you can start the submission process.
Call for Reviewers
Please email the Program Committee (eddi21-prog@googlegroups.com) if you would be available as a reviewer for a full paper.
General Information
For questions or any other correspondence regarding the CfP of EDDI21, please email the Program Committee (eddi21-prog@googlegroups.com).
Author Guidelines
Important dates.
- The online submission system will be opened June 23, 2021.
- Deadline of Call for Papers / all proposals due:
extended until September 15, 2021 (23:59 CEST). - Notification of acceptance for all proposals: September 27, 2021.
- Final version of full papers due: November 11, 2021.
Please have a look at the complete timeline at the overview page.
For Full papers, a draft suitable for review must be submitted by the deadline of the CfP (September 15, 2021) .
The paper reviews will be sent to the authors by September 27, 2021.
- Full papers (a suggested 8-12 pages plus appendices) must follow the rules of IASSIST Quarterly. Submissions should use the IQ author template.
- Please pay attention to the details in the template and submit your contribution in Microsoft Word document file format (or RTF or OpenOffice) and PDF format.
- Accepted papers have to be submitted in Microsoft Word document file format (or RTF or OpenOffice) and PDF format.