140 likes | 296 Views
Metadata. Data about data. Useful links. http://www.sdvc.uwyo.edu/metadata/education.html http://dusk2.geo.orst.edu/gis/lec06.html#nsdi http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/metadata.html http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/links/metalinks.html. The players/the terms.
E N D
Metadata Data about data
Useful links... • http://www.sdvc.uwyo.edu/metadata/education.html • http://dusk2.geo.orst.edu/gis/lec06.html#nsdi • http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/metadata.html • http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html • http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/links/metalinks.html
The players/the terms • The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is a 19 member interagency committee composed of representatives from the Executive Office of the President, Cabinet-level and independent agencies. They are establishing the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)
“Metadata is simply documentation for a digital geospatial dataset. It is a text document that describes the who, what, when, where, why and how questions about the data, so that a potential data user can decide whether or not the data is appropriate for his/her use”
Metadata is more .... • Which websites can you trust? • What ‘true story’ that comes in your email is really factual? • Does it matter if a statement comes from the journal SCEINCE or from the National Enquirer? • Trust and validity are part of metadata (as well as the factual information of scale, projection, date etc.)
Metadata is a key component of the geospatial data set. It carries critical information as to the dataset purpose, location, content, and lineage.
Geospatial software increasingly relies on metadata to ingest, display, and manage data. • Metadata instills data accountability and limits data liability. • The timely capture of metadata is fundamental to the quality of the data set as a whole.
Arc Catalog automatically reads the metadata file associated with a given data set. If Metadata is not present, Arc Catalog creates a blank document... Which can be filled in...
The ‘look’ of the metadata presentation can be changed by changing the stylesheet
So Why is creating metadata a problem?Survey Results:major obstacles to metadata production • metadata standards are too complex and difficult to implement http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/metamaker/nbiimker.html • metadata production requires time and other resources • there are few immediate and tangible benefits and few incentives to produce metadata.
http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/education/InstitutionalizeMeta_URISA2001.pdfhttp://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/education/InstitutionalizeMeta_URISA2001.pdf • TABLE 2. INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS OF METADATA Reduced Data Management Workload Metadata contain information that can be used to quickly locate and retrieve data resources by specific criteria including: keywords, time period, contacts, data type, entities and attributes, etc. Fewer Inquiries as to Data Availability and Content Most of the information required by data consumers to locate, evaluate, access, and ingest available data resources is contained within the metadata. As a result, data developers/managers are faced with fewer and more specific data inquiries. Document Personal Contributions The initial metadata record produced for a given data set establishes the core content that will persist, with updates, for the life of the data set. This provides data developers an opportunity to document their efforts and contributions and serves as a tangible performance indicator that may be incorporated into organizational and individual evaluations.
Besides... It’s the LAW • NSDI National Spatial Data Infrastructure • Executive Order 12906 Published in the April 13, 1994, edition of the Federal Register, Volume 59, Number 71, pp. 17671-17674. • “Thou Shalt have Metadata”
http://www.sdvc.uwyo.edu/metadata/metapaper.html#importance • “...metadata training has been conducted in workshops unrelated to standard curriculum. Workshop material often focuses on exhaustive coverage of metadata content and use of software for creating metadata within a short, concentrated time period ranging from less than a day to a couple days. Learning about metadata through this approach is tedious and likely to be soon forgotten as not all elements of metadata are used all the time...”
An example...and conclusions • Learn to create metadata along with the spatial data sets you create! • Like eating spinach, its good for you • Metadata builds character • If you neglect metadata your hair will fall out and your teeth will go bad and your CD’s will all get scratches • Really, it is a good idea and good practice to record metadata even if its just a README file you store with the data... It can save a lot of work and frustration in the future.