Metadata is essentially “data about data.” In scholarly publishing, this means all the structured information that describes an article. This information ensures that research is discoverable, citable, and correctly processed within the scholarly ecosystem.
What are examples of metadata?
➡️ Bibliographic metadata: author names, affiliations, titles, abstracts, and keywords
➡️ Identifiers: DOI (Digital Object Identifiers) and ORCID iDs
➡️ License information: for example Creative Commons licenses (such as CC-BY)
➡️ Publication details: publication date, section information, and page numbers
Openjournals works with Open Journal Systems (OJS) for publication workflows. In OJS, this metadata is entered by editors as part of the editorial process.
At Openjournals, we ensure that this entered metadata is not only stored, but also actively put to work. We automatically distribute metadata to key services, including:
• Crossref: for working DOIs and accurate citation data
• Google Scholar: for visibility in search results
• OA Switchboard: for automated reporting to institutions and funders
This means for editors: less manual work and better reporting.
And for authors: greater visibility, improved discoverability, and reduced administrative burden.
Good metadata is not a side issue; it is essential infrastructure for open and trustworthy scholarship. By processing and distributing metadata effectively, Openjournals helps ensure that research is more discoverable, better connected, and more reusable.
