Making research data findable in digital libraries: A layered model for user-oriented indexing of survey data

The growing amount of data in research and the aspired culture of data sharing make it necessary to improve data documentation in digital libraries. On these grounds we present a conceptual model for subject indexing of research data. Taking the example of social science survey data we inquire the applicability of established indexing principles. Based on these principles our research incorporates the special characteristics of social science survey data, leading us to a model of layered subject indexing.