#MPLP Part 1: Comparing domain expert and novice social tags in a minimally processed digital archives

Abstract

This study explores the potential for controlling/mediating the supplemental metadata from user-generated tags through inclusion of domain-expert user-generated tags. The study was a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design using a sample collection of fifteen documents and fifteen photographs. Sixty participants divided based on assessed prior domain knowledge tagged the sample collection. An open-coding analysis found six major categories and six subcategories. T-tests and chi-square tests found statistically insignificant or very weak associations between tags and domain knowledge. The study recommends inclusion of both expert and novice tags with each group demonstrating different qualities and serving different purposes.