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
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