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 informationOrganize your information

Write your metadata fileWrite your metadata file

Review your fileReview your file

Have someone else reviewHave someone else review

ReviseRevise

PublishPublish

Organize your informationOrganize your information

Write your metadata fileWrite your metadata file

Review your fileReview your file

Have someone else reviewHave 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

coffeechocolate

standard and/orworkbook

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 (1961-1983)

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 Transformationcsdgm2iso19115.xslt

Your result is an xml instance of an ISO 19115

record.

Transforming Metadata

Existing standard metadata

Target metadata standard format

Transforming Metadata

This is a part of the mapping for FGDC CSDGM to ISO 19115.

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

http://www.ncddc.noaa.gov/metadata-standards/metadata-xml/

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?