Which term describes additional information that describes data, such as its origin or author?

• A. Data
• B. Metadata
• C. Information
• D. Content

Answer: (B)

Metadata is information that describes other data. It answers questions about where the data came from, who created it, when it was created, what format it’s in, and how it relates to other data. This context makes the data easier to organize, search, validate, and trust, since you have provenance and attributes that explain its purpose and origin.

Data itself is the actual facts or content, while information is the meaning you derive from examining that data, and content refers to the material itself. Metadata sits outside the main data as descriptors about it, which is why it’s the best fit for describing additional information like origin or author.