  The Resource Description Framework is well-established as a lingua franca for
data modeling and is designed to integrate heterogeneous data at instance and
schema level using statements. While RDF is conceptually simple, data models
nevertheless get complex, when complex data needs to be represented. Additional
levels of indirection with intermediate resources instead of simple properties
lead to higher barriers for prospective users of the data. Based on three
patterns, we argue that shifting information to a meta-level can not only be
used to (1) provide provenance information, but can also help to (2) maintain
backwards compatibility for existing models, and to (3) reduce the complexity
of a data model. There are, however, multiple ways in RDF to use a meta-level,
i.e., to provide additional statements about statements. With Named Graphs,
there exists a well-established mechanism to describe groups of statements.
Since its inception, however, it has been hard to make statements about single
statements. With the introduction of RDF-star, a new way to provide data about
single statements is now available. We show that the combination of RDF-star
and Named Graphs is a viable solution to express data on a meta-level and
propose that this meta-level should be used as first class citizen in data
modeling.
