Preparing Metadata Records Suresh K.S. Vannan ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN [email protected] Viv Hutchison US Geological Survey, Denver, CO [email protected]

Preparing Metadata Records

Suresh K.S. VannanORNL , Oak Ridge, [email protected]

Viv HutchisonUS Geological Survey, Denver, [email protected]

Data Management Practices for Early Career Scientists2013 NASA Terrestrial Ecology Science Team MeetingMay 2nd , 2013

NASA TE Best Data Management Practices, May 2, 2013

Understanding the role of metadata

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•Measure– Identify Information to be collected in a metadata record

•Explain– Explain metadata collected for data descriptiveness

•Test– Test the Quality of information presented

•Advertise– Publish the information using metadata standards

Metadata Topics

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Measure - Data Collection

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Soil Moisture at field sites

From Field Notes to Datasets

Site Soil Moisture Standard Deviation

Number of Observations

Minimum Soil Moisture

Maximum Soil Moisture

Harvard Forest 4.4 --- 1 4.4 4.4

Walker Branch 7.0 3.0 3 4 10

Ozark 10.0 --- 1 10 10

Howland Forest 10.5 2.0 11 9 16

Duke Forest 11.0 15.5 2 0 22

Tonzi Ranch 11.5 4.5 17 3 22

Sky Oaks 12.5 5.5 897 0 28.8

Santarem-Km77 13.2 5.6 569 -1 32

Niwot Ridge 13.3 5.9 16 4 27

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Parameter - Description

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Parameter – Location and Time

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Metadata is a critical part of the data picture

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• Providing data to another researcher: – What parameters are contained in the data?– Which temporal and spatial region does this data cover? – What limitations, if any, do the data have? – What does the data describe? – How should the data be cited if it is re-used in a new study?

• Receiving data from another researcher:– What are the parameters characterized in this data– What are the data uncertainties?– How was the data measured/?– Are there any fees associated with the data?– In what scale were the data created? – What do the values in the tables mean?– What software do I need in order to read the data?– What projection are the data in?– Is this data set restricted?

The end is where it begins…..

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Metadata Pecha Kucha

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Test

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• City of Salem

• 44,-123

• 44.992575,-123.056853


• Organize your information• Review for accuracy and completeness• Do not use jargon • Use informative title that includes topic, timeliness of the data,

and geography• Use “none” , “unknown”, and “nodata” meaningfully• Be specific and quantify when you can• Select keywords wisely –

http://gcmd.nasa.gov/learn/keywords.html • Remember: a computer will read your metadata• Fully define entities, attributes, units of measure

Steps to Create Quality Metadata

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Tools for capturing metadata

• You - Data creator

• Metadata Editors commercial and Open Source– ArcGIS desktop– Oxygen– USGS metadata editor– Metacat

• Documentation

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• Share your metadata with other researchers

Examples of metadata search portals:

– ORNL DAAC • http://daac.ornl.gov

– Reverb• http://reverb.echo.nasa.gov/reverb/

– Data.gov• http://data.gov

Advertise Your Metadata and data: Publish

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Let’s Address Concerns…

Concern Solution

workload required to capture accurate robust metadata

incorporate metadata creation into data development process – distribute the effort

time and resources to create, manage, and maintain metadata

include in grant budget and schedule

readability / usability of metadata use a standardized metadata format

discipline specific information and ontologies

use ‘profile’ standard to require specific information and use specific values

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Final thoughts

• Metadata– It isn't easy– It isn't free– Ask everything

But…

– Protect your research investment and research legacy

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Documents

Preparing Metadata Records Suresh K.S. Vannan ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN [email protected] Viv Hutchison US Geological Survey, Denver, CO [email protected]