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Document your Data
To make your data discoverable and useful, it is import to provide context about the data by providing descriptive metadata such titles, authors, dates, description and further information about the data selected. You will need to use controlled fields and controlled vocabulary, when applicable. This will vary by discipline. To learn more about metadata, please see information below.
ICPSR 101: What are Metadata (and why are they so important)?
- document file handling (how are they named, how are they divided)
- processing steps (how to get from point A to B)
- field abbreviation/name glossary (now what does ABC3130 stand for again?)
- Consider if you had to leave the project and come back after six months or a year. What else would you add to the list?
| Type of Data | Discipline/s | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| ---- | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) |
| ---- | Ecology | Ecological Metadata Language (EML) |
| Spatial | ---- | Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)/FGDC/ISO 19115 |
| Biodiversity | Life Sciences | Darwin Core |
from the Digital Curation Centre.
For a complete listing view, Metadata Directory