To each content type you can add metadata. This is additional information that indicates what the content is about and for whom it is intended, placed in predefined fields. So metadata is simply data about data. Metadata ensures that we collect the same information about every content item in Drupal. We have different metadata for different types of content and content types; such as an image, a video, an event, a news item or a landing page.
Adding metadata makes it possible to, among other things:
- dynamically display content in different parts of the website, such as by target audience, topic or theme;
- display related content on a particular page;
- apply filtering and refinement of search results to the website.
Each metadata field is defined as a particular type of field, such as a text field, a date field, a contact field or a controlled list.
The predefined fields are defined in the taxonomy that is managed centrally. So it is not possible to add a topic or theme yourself. Are you missing an option in a list? If so, contact the taxonomy administrator at [email protected].
Most common metadata fields
For each content type in Drupal you need to indicate for which audience the content is intended. By assigning an audience it is possible to show or filter content in overviews only for a certain target group.
For example: Show only news items for students, or compile an overview of all regulations for students.
In the content types Service, Regulation and Manual you can select a topic and possibly a sub-topic in the 'Topic' field. By means of these topics, the 'Information and services' overviews are automatically generated in the Employees and Students sections of the website. If you assign a topic to a Service, Manual or Regulation, you ensure that it is shown in the relevant (sub)topic. That way, as an editor, you do not need to compile pages with references to this content yourself.
For example: There is an overview for employees of all services, manuals and regulations that fall under 'Employment conditions' (a topic), because they are tagged with the sub-topic Collective Labor Agreement, Pension, Termination of employment, Working hours, or UFO (job profile).
It is not always necessary to assign a topic to a Service, Manual or Regulation:
- Should the content not be shown in the 'Information and services' overview in the website-section for employees and/or students, but elsewhere on the site? Then do not select a topic; request the page to be added to the menu.
- Do you link a manual or regulation to a service, and has a topic been assigned to that service? Then do not select a topic for the manual or regulation; it is accessible via the service. (Please note: linking to the page in the text of a service is not enough; you have to use the field on the tab 'extra information' of a service to make the association.)
- Do you want to show a service in the 'Information and services' overview in the section for employees and/or students, or do you want to show a manual or regulation that is not linked to a service there? Then do select a topic.
Choose only one (sub)topic per content type.
There are topics that are only relevant to students, topics that are only relevant to employees, and topics that are relevant to both. Whether your content appears in the 'Information and services' overview in the website-section for employees and/or in this overview in the website-section for students, is not determined by the topic you choose, but by the target audience(s) you link to it (see the information about this meta-data above).
Services, manuals and regulations with (among others) the target audience 'employees' and/or the target audience 'students', appear in the 'Information and services' overview. Services, manuals and regulations with only other target audiences, or only sub-target audiences of the main target group 'students' and/or 'employees', do not appear there and must be manually assigned a location in the website menu.
The content type news item, event, employee, project and education can be metadataized with a theme. This makes it possible to organize information about teaching and research and to easily link teaching and research.
The list of themes is carefully compiled by the science editors based on user research and Radboud University's research areas. The same themes are also used on Radboud Recharge, making it easier to share content between the two platforms. Missing a theme, or not sure which theme a particular research or project falls under? Feel free to contact [email protected].
For example: Create a theme page that showcases staff (researchers), projects, news, events and education based on the assigned theme.
The content type training can be metadata with a subject area. This makes it possible to organize information about training, courses and continuing education.
The list of subject areas has been carefully compiled in coordination with Radboud Academy and on the basis of user research. Are you missing a subject area, or are you not sure which subject area a particular training course falls under? Feel free to contact [email protected].