Standardized Metadata Standardized Metadata The FGDC Content Standard For Digital Geospatial Metadata The FGDC Content Standard For Digital Geospatial Metadata

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) was organized in 1990 under the Office of Management and Budget to promote the coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. The FGDC was tasked with creating a metadata standard to meet these objectives. The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) was organized in 1990 under the Office of Management and Budget to promote the coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. The FGDC was tasked with creating a metadata standard to meet these objectives. The Metadata Standard Establishing a Standard

"... each agency shall document all new geospatial data it collects or produces, either directly or indirectly, using the standard under development by the FGDC, and make that standardized documentation electronically accessible to the Clearinghouse network." The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) Executive Order 12906, signed by President Clinton in Executive Order 12906, signed by President Clinton in Establishing a Standard

This “Content Standard” serves as a uniform summary description of the data set. This “Content Standard” serves as a uniform summary description of the data set. Establishing a Standard

The Content Standard… Establishes names of compound elements and data elements Defines the information about the values that are to be provided for the data elements The Content Standard… Establishes names of compound elements and data elements Defines the information about the values that are to be provided for the data elements Type=“free text” Domain=Real currentness entity attribute Citation lineage Establishing a Standard

The Content Standard utilizes... Common terms Common definition Common language Common structure The Content Standard utilizes... Common terms Common definition Common language Common structure Access constraints Citation currentness entity attribute domain lineage Process step Establishing a Standard

Who Who collected the data? Who processed the data? Who wrote the metadata? Who to contact for questions? Who to contact to order? Who owns the data? Who Who collected the data? Who processed the data? Who wrote the metadata? Who to contact for questions? Who to contact to order? Who owns the data? Where Where were the data collected? Where were the data processed? Where are the data located? Where Where were the data collected? Where were the data processed? Where are the data located? What What are the data about? What project were they collected under? What are the constraints on their use? What is the quality? What are appropriate uses? What parameters were measured? What format are the data in? What What are the data about? What project were they collected under? What are the constraints on their use? What is the quality? What are appropriate uses? What parameters were measured? What format are the data in? When When were the data collected? When were the data processed? When When were the data collected? When were the data processed? How How were the data collected? How were the data processed? How do I access the data? How do I order the data? How much do the data cost? How was the quality assessed? How How were the data collected? How were the data processed? How do I access the data? How do I order the data? How much do the data cost? How was the quality assessed? Why Why were the data collected? Why Why were the data collected? Metadata written using the Content Standard answers these important questions: Establishing a Standard

The FGDC Standard Organization and Content

Production Rules of the Content Standard

The FGDCWorkbook Organization and Content

FGDC’s Metadata Workbook FGDC’s Metadata Workbook Parallels the Standard Defines 334 available metadata elements Parallels the Standard Defines 334 available metadata elements

It is a resource for applying the FGDC Content Standard Uses a Graphical Representation of the Production Rules Describes domain values (valid values that can be assigned to the data element) Describes domain values (valid values that can be assigned to the data element) Provides section and element definitions Using the Workbook

The Workbook uses graphics to illustrate the production rules of the standard. The graphics include most of the information provided by the production rules: The Workbook uses graphics to illustrate the production rules of the standard. The graphics include most of the information provided by the production rules: How elements are grouped What is mandatory and what is not What elements can repeat and how many times they can repeat How elements are grouped What is mandatory and what is not What elements can repeat and how many times they can repeat Using the Graphical Representation

Section Sections are depicted by this symbol Compound Element Compound elements are depicted using a 2-dimensional box Data Element Data elements are depicted using a 3-dimensional box with shadow Using the Graphical Representation

A section is composed of groups of data elements or other compound elements that describe that particular section. There are 7 main Sections Identification Information Data Quality Information Spatial Organization Information Spatial Reference Information Entity and Attribute Information Distribution Information Metadata Reference Information And 3 supporting Sections Citation Information Time Period Information Contact Information Section Using the Graphical Representation

A compound element is group of data elements or other compound elements. The form for the definition of a compound element is: Compound element name -- definition. Type: compound An example of a definition of a compound element is: Description - characterization of the data set, including its intended use and limitations Type: compound Compound Element Using the Graphical Representation

Data Element A data element is a logically primitive item of data. Data elements are the things that you “fill in.” The form for the definition of a data element is: Data element name -- definition. Type: (choice of “integer”, “real”, “text”, “date”, or “time”) Domain: (describes valid values that can be assigned) An example of the definition of a data element is: Abstract – a brief narrative of the data set. Type: text Domain: free text Using the Graphical Representation

Mandatory - must be provided. Meaning Data Element Compound Element What’s Mandatory? What’s Not? Mandatory if Applicable - must be provided if the data set exhibits the defined characteristic. Optional - provided at the discretion of the data set producer. Using the Graphical Representation

Using the Graphics to Make Decisions All elements are colored yellow, so all are mandatory and must be filled in. Compound Element 1 Compound Element 1.1 Data Element Data Element Data Element 1.2 Using the Graphical Representation

Compound Element 1 is mandatory if applicable. If not applicable to the data set, do not report any elements. If applicable, it is mandatory and: Compound Element 1.1 is mandatory. Data Element is mandatory if applicable. If not applicable, do not report it. If applicable, it is mandatory. Data Element is mandatory. Data Element 1.2 is optional. Compound Element 1 Compound Element 1.1 Data Element Data Element Data Element 1.2 Using the Graphical Representation

Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata Mandatory Legend Identification Information Data Quality Information Spatial Data Organization Information Spatial Reference Information Entity and Attribute Information Metadata Reference Information Distribution Information Metadata Mandatory If Applicable

Section 8 Citation Information Section 10 Contact Information Section 9 Time Period Information MM / AO

Exercise 1 Getting Familiar with the CSDGM