Core problem:
Without a standard format, coverage dates can be interpreted
incorrectly. (For example, does 20080305 signify 5 March 2008 or 3 May 2008?) The
existence of multiple dates for an article (for example, online posting date versus issue
publication date, where these differ) can also prevent a match being made between a
citation and the knowledge base.
User impact:
Inaccurate date information prevents the knowledge base from matching a
source citation to a target resource, which in turn prevents end users from accessing
resources, causing frustration and reducing usage.
Solutions:
The content provider should use the most current version of standard ISO
8601:2004 (Data elements and interchange formats – Information interchange –
Representation of dates and times) date syntaxes when interpreting and displaying date
ranges.
- Proceed to section 4.2.5 of the KBART report: inconsistencies in content coverage description
- Download PDF of KBART report: PDF 517kb
- Return to homepage of HTML report: HTML