Writing Metadata Working Towards Best Practices

Tips for Writing Metadata First records are the hardest Not all fields may need to be filled in Tools are available Training classes can be taken Can often be produced automatically Can (and should) be reviewed for updates

Writing Metadata Organize your information Write your metadata file Review your file Have someone else review ReviseRevise PublishPublish Organize your information Write your metadata file Review your file Have someone else review ReviseRevise PublishPublish

Writing Metadata Before you begin writing, get organized Document your data as you go Write so others can understand Always review your document

Write so that others will understand

Some Helpful Items coffee chocolate standard and/or workbook sense of humor!!! metadata entry tool

Keep Your Reader In Mind Write simply but completely Document for a general audience Be consistent in style and terminology Define acronyms Avoid using jargon Clearly state data limitations

Lunch Break Back at 11:30 Central

Writing Metadata Write a complete “Title” What Where When Who

Which is better? Greater Yellowstone Rivers from 1:126,700 Forest Visitor Maps ( ) The title is critical in helping others find your data.

Vague: We checked our work and it looks complete. Specific: We checked our work using 3 separate sets of check plots reviewed by 2 different people. We determined our work to be 95% complete based on these visual inspections. Vague: We checked our work and it looks complete. Specific: We checked our work using 3 separate sets of check plots reviewed by 2 different people. We determined our work to be 95% complete based on these visual inspections. Be specific. Quantify when you can.

Select your keywords wisely Use unambiguous words Use descriptive words Fully quality geographic locations – Don’t rely on extent – Use place keywords as well

ISO Creation Methods Several ways to create ISO Metadata Transform from existing metadata Use templates Create from “scratch”

Your input here is an xml version of a CSDGM record. XSLT Transformation csdgm2iso19115.xslt Your result is an xml instance of an ISO record. Transforming Metadata Existing standard metadata Target metadata standard format

Transforming Metadata This is a part of the mapping for FGDC CSDGM to ISO Comments are Best Practices or Questions

Other Transformations ISO to FGDC DIF to ISO FGDC THREDDS netCDF to ISO Various ISO and FGDC views Custom transforms – from databases to metadata standards

Transforming Metadata

Creating ISO Metadata From “Scratch ” General Steps for XML Editors Open Editor Create New XML Document Associate Schema with XML Document – Use Offline Schema OR – Online Schema Select Root Element – MI_Metadata Edit File in Editing Window – Use Entry Helper Features – Use Auto-population Features

Open XML Editor Project Window Features

Create New XML Document

Associate Schema with XML Document

Select Root Element

Edit File in Editing Window

Finish Editing

Validate File

Validation Error

InPort – NMFS Metadata Catalog

InPort Advanced Search

InPort Organization

InPort Search Results

Data Set Record

QUESTIONS?