diff --git a/docs/reference/jspsych-metadata.md b/docs/reference/jspsych-metadata.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/packages/metadata/src/AuthorsMap.ts b/packages/metadata/src/AuthorsMap.ts
index ec9ff0350a..1566f3e35c 100644
--- a/packages/metadata/src/AuthorsMap.ts
+++ b/packages/metadata/src/AuthorsMap.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 export interface AuthorFields {
   /** The type of the author. */
-  type?: string;
+  "@type"?: string;
   /** The name of the author. (required) */
   name: string;
   /** The given name of the author. */
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export class AuthorsMap {
       this.authors[name] = newAuthor;
 
       const unexpectedFields = Object.keys(author).filter(
-        (key) => !["type", "name", "givenName", "familyName", "identifier"].includes(key)
+        (key) => !["@type", "name", "givenName", "familyName", "identifier"].includes(key)
       );
       if (unexpectedFields.length > 0) {
         console.warn(
diff --git a/packages/metadata/src/VariablesMap.ts b/packages/metadata/src/VariablesMap.ts
index dcf5ed6533..8e621bda29 100644
--- a/packages/metadata/src/VariablesMap.ts
+++ b/packages/metadata/src/VariablesMap.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * @typedef {VariableFields}
  */
 export interface VariableFields {
-  type?: string;
+  "@type"?: string;
   name: string; // required
   description?: string | Record<string, string>;
   value?: string; // string, boolean, or number
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export class VariablesMap {
     this.variables = {};
 
     const trial_type_var: VariableFields = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export class VariablesMap {
     this.setVariable(trial_type_var);
 
     const trial_index_var: VariableFields = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_index",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export class VariablesMap {
     this.setVariable(trial_index_var);
 
     const time_elapsed_var: VariableFields = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "time_elapsed",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export class VariablesMap {
     const unexpectedFields = Object.keys(variable).filter(
       (key) =>
         ![
-          "type",
+          "@type",
           "name",
           "description",
           "value",
diff --git a/packages/metadata/src/index.ts b/packages/metadata/src/index.ts
index de27eef44a..758757ed52 100644
--- a/packages/metadata/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/metadata/src/index.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export default class JsPsychMetadata {
    * as a way to update fields.
    *
    * @param {{
-   *     type?: string;
+   *     @type?: string;
    *     name: string; // required
    *     description?: string | {};
    *     value?: string; // string, boolean, or number
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ export default class JsPsychMetadata {
     if (!this.containsVariable(variable)) {
       // probs should have update description called here
       const new_var = {
-        type: "PropertyValue",
+        "@type": "PropertyValue",
         name: variable,
         description: { default: "unknown" },
         value: type,
diff --git a/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-maps.test.ts b/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-maps.test.ts
index 5a68ac0947..2805cd50f4 100644
--- a/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-maps.test.ts
+++ b/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-maps.test.ts
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ let author_data = [
     name: "Barrack Obama",
   },
   {
-    type: "Author",
+    "@type": "Author",
     name: "Donald Trump",
   },
   {
-    type: "Contributor",
+    "@type": "Contributor",
     name: "Stan Johnson",
     givenName: "Julio Jones",
     familyName: "Aaron",
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ describe("AuthorsMap", () => {
 
   test("#setOverwrite", () => {
     const newJohnCena = {
-      type: "WWE Pro Wrestler",
+      "@type": "WWE Pro Wrestler",
       name: "John Cena",
     };
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe("AuthorsMap", () => {
 
 const variable_data: VariableFields[] = [
   {
-    type: "PropertyValue",
+    "@type": "PropertyValue",
     name: "trial_type",
     description: {
       default: "unknown",
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ const variable_data: VariableFields[] = [
     value: "string",
   },
   {
-    type: "PropertyValue",
+    "@type": "PropertyValue",
     name: "trial_index",
     description: {
       default: "unknown",
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ const variable_data: VariableFields[] = [
     value: "numeric",
   },
   {
-    type: "PropertyValue",
+    "@type": "PropertyValue",
     name: "time_elapsed",
     description: {
       default: "unknown",
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
 
   test("#setOverwrite", () => {
     const newTrialType: VariableFields = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: {
         default: "different fields",
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
   // // updating normal variable (exists and doesn't exist)
   test("#updateNormalVariables", () => {
     const compare = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
 
   test("#updateLevels", () => {
     interface Compare {
-      type: string;
+      "@type": string;
       name: string;
       description: {};
       value: string;
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     }
 
     const compare: Compare = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
   // // updating name (checking references)
   test("#updatingName", () => {
     const compare = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     }
 
     let one_key_string = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "animation style",
       description: "unknown",
       value: "string",
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     }
 
     let two_key = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "animation style",
       description: {
         grown: "how tall the user is",
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     }
 
     let add_default = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "animation style",
       description: {
         default: "how tall the user is",
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     };
 
     let expected = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "animation style",
       description: "what the user likes to eat",
       value: "string",
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     }
 
     let add_default = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "animation style",
       description: {
         default: "how tall the user is",
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ describe("VariablesMap", () => {
     };
 
     let expected = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "animation style",
       description: {
         diet: "what the user likes to eat",
diff --git a/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-module.test.ts b/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-module.test.ts
index dc492bb9a9..c5f80805b8 100644
--- a/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-module.test.ts
+++ b/packages/metadata/tests/metadata-module.test.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ describe("JsPsychMetadata", () => {
 
   test("#setAndGetVariable", () => {
     const trialType = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: "Plugin type that has been used to run trials",
       value: "string",
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ describe("JsPsychMetadata", () => {
 
   test("#deleteVariable", () => {
     const trialType = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: "Plugin type that has been used to run trials",
       value: "string",
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe("JsPsychMetadata", () => {
 
   test("#updateVariable", () => {
     const trialType = {
-      type: "PropertyValue",
+      "@type": "PropertyValue",
       name: "trial_type",
       description: {
         default: "unknown",