1. Urban Audit: Reference Guide Data Collection 2003/2004
Mathieu Vliegen

2. Aim of the Reference Guide
Documentation of the available metadata for all Urban Audit variables
Useful expedient for reviewing
* comparability of the relevant statistics
* validity of indicators based on those statistics

3. Sources Urban Audit Methodological Handbook
Urban Audit Country Reports
Urban Audit Quality Report
Urban Audit Database (flags, free text, time reference)

4. Metadata for every variable
Definition and deviation from or specification of the definition
Type of data collection (full or partial coverage)
Type of statistic (enumerated, (un-) weighted or modelled statistic)
Time reference

5. Metadata Quality in the sources
Country Reports:
* no or hardly any metadata / some metadata /
substantial metadata
Database:
* flags: from good to insufficient
* footnotes: from good to redundant (additional
handicap: mix-up of footnotes)
* time reference: no distinction between reference
date (stock data) and reference period (flow data)

6. General recommendation
List a simple set of metadata for inclusion in the country reports
Link up such a list of metadata with
* the glossary of definitions
* the template (list of flags / time reference)

7. Specific recommendations
Specify the definition used in case it deviates from the prescribed one or no definition is available
Specify more in detail the organisation providing the data
Specify the most essential characteristics of the data source or statistical base used (exhaustive or sample survey; statistical or administrative register)
Specify the modelling procedure used
Specify the time reference for stock and flow data