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Metadata

Metadata. SEEK Ecoinformatics Training Bill Michener January 2004. In this session we will discuss…. Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? Metadata standards Metadata tools Creating metadata Finding and evaluating metadata Metadata resources.

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Metadata

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  1. Metadata SEEK Ecoinformatics Training Bill Michener January 2004

  2. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  3. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  4. What are metadata? Metadata? “Data about data” or, more appropriately, “the information necessary to understand and effectively use the data”

  5. Example There are two tuna shaped cans in front of you. How do you decide which can you would like to eat?

  6. Metadata helps you decide which can you would like to eat !

  7. Metadata are…. • The label • The information the label contains • Our understanding of what a label is and the information it describes

  8. Data 072998 29.5 17.0 073098 29.7 6.1 073198 29.1 0

  9. Data -- Metadata Date Temp (C) Precip. (mm) Obs. #1072998 29.5 17.0 Obs. #2 073098 29.7 6.1 Obs. #3 073198 29.1 0

  10. Source: http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/mapproj/gif/threepro.gif

  11. Metadata describe: • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • How? about every facet of the data !

  12. Metadata Descriptors • What relevant data exist? • Why were those data collected and are they suitable for a particular use? • How can these data be obtained?

  13. Metadata Descriptors • How are the data organized and structured? • What additional information is available that would facilitate data use and interpretation?

  14. Value of metadata… • Maintains internal investment in data • Provides information to data catalogs and clearinghouses • Promotes data sharing • Leads to potential research partners (e.g., promotes data discovery) • Clarifies semantics • Enables machine-processing

  15. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  16. Metadata Content Specifications • Dublin Core • NBII Biological Data Profile / CSDGM • ISO CD 19115, Geographic information - metadata • LTER Data Table of Contents • Darwin Core • Ecological Metadata Language (EML)

  17. Why are metadata standardized ? • Use a common set of understandable terms; information is described in a similar way • Location of information (metadata descriptors) can be found in the same place; facilitating entry & retrieval • “Tools” can be built; e.g., metadata entry and searches can be automated

  18. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  19. A Smorgasboard of Metadata Tools • Proprietary • Non-proprietary • On-line • Standalone • Windows • ASCII • Unix

  20. ESRI ArcCatalog Metadata • Metadata properties: Derived from the data itself and automatically created by ArcCatalog • Documentation: Written by a person • Metadata editor enforces Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) standards • Stored in XML format within the geodatabase • Automatically exports/transfers with coverages

  21. Metadata creation/import selections Metadata Tab Catalog list Metadata Sections Metadata Parts

  22. Location Metadata

  23. Attribute Metadata: Properties…automatic Documentation…input

  24. Metadata Creation Import a template or existing file Edit screen

  25. Morpho • Create & Edit Metadata • Search & Query Metadata Collections

  26. Data structural descriptors

  27. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  28. How much work is this going to be???

  29. Rules of Thumb (Michener 2000) • the more comprehensive the metadata, the greater the longevity (and value) of the data • structured metadata can greatly facilitate data discovery, encourage “best metadata practices” and support data and metadata use by others • metadata implementation takes time!!! • start implementing metadata for new data collection efforts and then prioritize “legacy” and ongoing data sets that are of greatest benefit to the broadest user community

  30. Make metadata implementation a team effort! Include: • Team Leader • GIS Specialist • Field Personnel • Database Manager • Laboratory Specialist • Voucher/Repository Specialist • And others as appropriate….

  31. Variable Levels of Metadata Content & Structure Necessary for Specific Objectives(Michener 2000) High resampling interoperability reuse 3rd party exchange Content publication expert colleague indexing personal High Low Structure

  32. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  33. Finding Data & Metadata • Colleagues • Scientific literature • WWW searches • Data and metadata registries • Global Change Master Directory • Metadata Clearinghouses • National Biological Information Infrastructure

  34. Click here

  35. Evaluating Metadata

  36. Questions & Answers

  37. Evaluation (in short) • Do the who? what? where? why? and how? of the data as documented in the metadata meet your particular needs?

  38. In this session we will discuss… • Metadata: what are they? and why should they be created? • Metadata standards • Metadata tools • Creating metadata • Finding and evaluating metadata • Metadata resources

  39. Resources • http://www.nbii.gov • http://www.megrin.org/ • http://www.eurogi.org • http://www.dlib.org

  40. Metadata Resources • Michener, W.K. 2000. Metadata. In: Ecological Data: Design, Management and Processing. (eds. W.K. Michener and J.W. Brunt), pp. 92-116. Blackwell Science, Oxford, United Kingdom. • Michener, W.K., J.W. Brunt, J.J. Helly, T.B. Kirchner, and S.G. Stafford. 1997. Nongeospatial metadata for the ecological sciences. Ecological Applications7(1):330-342. • http://knb.ecoinformatics.org and • http://seek.ecoinformatics.org -- for ecologists • http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues -- for technologists

  41. KNB—the Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity http://knb.ecoinformatics.org SEEK—the Science Environment for Ecological Knowledge http://seek.ecoinformatics.org

  42. Metadata Exercise Allison and Cicchetti example using Morpho **

  43. Short Exercises • Group 1 – www.nbii.gov • Group 2 – www-eosdis.ornl.gov/ • Group 3 – gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/ • Group 4 – www.nodc.noaa.gov/

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