Frequently Asked Questions

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If you are preparing a digital collection, archive, database, or other research platforms, we will be happy to meet with you and discuss your needs in detail.

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What is a research infrastructure?

Internet map, the Opte Project [CC BY 2.5]

Research infrastructures are the backbone network for excellent research and development, bringing together the critical mass of material, financial and human resources, as well as the technology and knowledge expertise.

Research infrastructure is the core network interconnecting research environments which enables scientists to share access to unique or distributed scientific resources and equipment (data, tools, systems, software and computing devices, ICT). The infrastructure for cooperation, data sharing and interdisciplinary research is referred to as e-Infrastructure or e-Science in Europe and cyberinfrastructure in the US.

The most famous infrastructure used for scientific purposes in the Czech Republic is CESNET (Czech Scientific and Education NETwork), the backbone communication network providing high speed Internet connection.

What is a platform?

Europeana

The application framework that provides the basic functions of the system interconnecting it with other applications, technologies and services and creating the working environment for research. Platforms can include, for instance, the Facebook social network, PayPal internet payment system or Europeana platform for cultural heritage.

What kind of research data are produced by the humanities?

Sketch Engine

The data are representations of facts, they are used as a source of evidence or as a basis for argumentation. All scientific disciplines produce data in their research or exploration. Data in humanity disciplines are digital representations of primary resources - text, audio, images, statues, architecture, but also notes or linguistic annotations resulting from the interpretation of these resources, geographic data or 3D landscapes from archaeological surveys, etc.

What are metadata?

Metadata describe physical and digital objects. In infrastructures they provide information about the data. The US National Information Standards Organization (NISO) defines metadata as a structured information that describes, explains, localizes or otherwise simplifies searching, usage or management of information resources. For example, descriptive metadata provide information about the authors of the document, the date and place of its creation, the topic of the document, etc.

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