How Do You Write Good Metadata? Steps to Quality Metadata Organize information Write your metadata file Review your file Have someone review Revise it PublishPublish

Get organized! How Do You Write Good Metadata? Before creating your metadata…

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Write simply but completely Document for a general audience Be consistent in style and terminology Keep your readers in mind

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Don’t use jargon CA, LA, GPS, GIS Define technical terms and acronyms — CA, LA, GPS, GIS Clearly state data limitations Think about the long-term effects

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Don’t use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS Use subheadings Use bulleted lists Cite examples

How Do You Write Good Metadata? The title is critical in helping readers find your data Which is better? Greater Yellowstone Rivers from 1:126,700 Forest Visitor Maps ( )

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Useful titles Near Real Time Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Data-Satellite Imagery from NOAA CSC Coastal Remote Sensing Division Ace Basin, South Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve Digital Line Boundary

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Write a complete title, including: What Where When Scale Who

How Do You Write Good Metadata? An informative title includes: Topic Timeliness of the data Specific information about place and geography

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Series name Issue number Name of publisher Location of publisher If the data are officially published, in the title include:

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Be specific. Quantify when you can. Vague: Vague: We checked our work and it looks complete. Specific: 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.

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Select your key words wisely Use unambiguous words Use descriptive words Fully qualify geographic locations

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Don’t use symbols that might be misinterpreted # % { } | / \ ~ Don’t use characters with dual interpretations Remember, a computer will read your metadata:

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Don’t use tabs or indents Be careful with carriage returns Use “none” or “unknown” meaningfully

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Have someone else read it If you’re the only reviewer, put it away and read it again later Check for clarity and omissions Review your final product

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Can a novice understand what you wrote? Are your data properly documented for posterity? When you review your work, ask:

How Do You Write Good Metadata? Does the documentation present all the information needed to use or reuse the data? Are any pieces missing?

Think like a novice Put yourself in someone else’s shoes How Do You Write Good Metadata?