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Joint-Meeting Session November 21, 2025

Metadata for Reproducibility: Identifying and Addressing the Gaps

Plenary: RDA 26th Plenary Meeting (VP26)

Submitted by
Limor Peer
Recording

Meeting objectives

Collaborative session notes: Open session notes

A key question when assessing computational reproducibility is whether the computation and input data consistently produce the reported results (or claim or finding). Assessing computational reproducibility involves using the data and code that originally produced the results described in each article. These materials are variously referred to as a research compendium, replication file, replication package, or reproducibility file bundle. Metadata to describe these materials as digital objects – data and code – exists, but it may not be clear how to express “reproducibility metadata,” that is, structured information that describes either the potential for or the verification of the computational reproduction of the reported results.

This session will describe and invite discussion on ongoing work supported by the Metadata IG and the Reproducibility IG to identify and document gaps with respect to reproducibility in existing metadata schemas; to identify any schemas that can express reproducibility metadata, and how they do so; and to suggest strategies for including reproducibility metadata in schemas that lack explicit support for it. This work builds on community input following a BoF on Metadata for Reproducibility at the RDA VP24 (session notes).

Please see the working draft of the task group report for more detail on the progress made so far.

Meeting presenters

Alex Ball, Lauren Cadwallader, Christian Pagé, Limor Peer

Meeting agenda

  • 00:00-00:05 Introductions & welcome
  • 00:05-00:15 Brief overview of the Metadata and Reproducibility IGs
  • 00:15-00:20 Brief introduction to Reproducibility Checklist WG
  • 00:20-00:50 Overview of the Reproducibility Metadata Task Group
  • 00:50-01:20 Group discussion
  • 01:20-01:30 Wrap up & next steps

Target audience

All RDA colleagues interested in computational reproducibility or the applications or design of metadata. Colleagues interested in both will find this session especially relevant.

Group Activities and Scope

The Metadata Interest Group (MIG) is supported by individuals and organizations involved in the development, implementation, and use of metadata for scientific data.  MIG’s chief objective is to identify and endorse metadata solutions for addressing data management challenges. Metadata is crucial for the discovery, access, preservation, exchange, manipulation, and use/reuse of research data.

Metadata discussions frequently focus on community-specific issues such as discipline-specific standards; however, there are dimensions of metadata that are of general interest, cross disciplines and are amenable to broad community input. MIG endorses metadata solutions that balance domain-specific and interdisciplinary needs.

The Reproducibility Interest Group seeks to advance and enable reproducibility in research based on or producing datasets that require code. Our goals are to build bridges with the many RDA external efforts addressing reproducibility, doing so in coordination with the other RDA Working and Interest Groups where appropriate. Our efforts may also produce Working Groups that can develop recommendations and solutions.

The Reproducibility Interest Group follows the broad definition of reproducibility stated by Turing Way in order to provide an inclusive framework for discussions.

Additional links to informative material

Notes from the VP24 BoF session

Short Group Status

The Metadata Interest Group (MIG) was established in 2013 and has created two successful working groups, the Metadata Standards Directory WG and the Metadata Standards Catalog WG. MIG serves as an umbrella group for all aspects of metadata for research data. In particular, it coordinates the efforts of the Working Groups concerned with metadata to provide a coherent approach to metadata.

The Reproducibility Interest Group was reestablished in 2023 and has participated in several RDA plenaries. It has produced an output in 2025, “RDA & External Reproducibility Efforts,” which includes information about RDA and external groups involved in reproducibility efforts, and is in the process of creating a Reproducibility Checklist WG.

Applicable Pathways

Semantics, Ontology, Standardisation
Data Lifecycles - Versioning, Provenance, Citation, and Reward

Avoid conflict with the following groups

Common Application Programming Interface (API) for machine-actionable Data Management Plans (maDMPs)
Active Data Management Plans IG

What potential collaborations or synergies do you see between your Group/Birds of a Feather session topic and other RDA Groups or external organisations?

RDA Reproducibility Checklist Working Group
Common Application Programming Interface (API) for machine-actionable Data Management Plans (maDMPs)
Active Data Management Plans IG
Global Federation of Reproducibility Networks

Please indicate at least (3) three breakout slots that would suit your meeting.

Breakout 4. Tuesday, 17 March, 13:30-15:00 UTC
Breakout 7. Wednesday, 18 March, 13:30-15:00 UTC
Breakout 10. Thursday, 19 March, 13:30-15:00 UTC