Discovery Metadata Overview
3.1 Relationship to Draft ISO Standard 15046-15
The metadata elements for Discovery Metadata have been drawn from the draft ISO standard [1] wherever possible and, in general, they have undergone the minimum amount of modification to suit the needs of these Guidelines.
This section provides a concise description of the elements. Section 4 provides an explanation of each element together with examples of their application.
3.2 Metadata Characteristics
3.2.1 Metadata Attribution
Metadata element characteristics are defined by eight attributes: Element Name, Identifier, Element Definition, Obligation, Maximum Occurrence, Data Type, and Domain as described below.
3.2.2 Element Name
A label assigned to a metadata element.
3.2.3 Identifier
A number permanently assigned to each metadata element. The primary purpose of this identifier is to aid the tracing of elements should other attributes be modified. It is possible, for instance, that an Element Name may be changed to match the ISO standard when it is finally released. The identifier may also be used in computer systems to identify the elements.
3.2.4 Element Definition
The description or definition of a metadata element.
3.2.5 Obligation
A descriptor indicating whether a metadata element shall always be present or sometimes be present (i.e. contain value(s)). This descriptor may have the following values:
|
Mandatory (M): |
the metadata element shall always be present |
|
Conditional (C): |
the metadata element shall be present if the dataset exhibits the characteristics defined by that element |
|
Optional (O): |
the metadata element may be present or may not be present. |
3.2.6 Maximum Occurrence
Specifies the maximum number of instances the metadata element may have. Single occurrences are shown by " 1 ", when one or more occurrences are allowed, it is represented by " N ". Where the supplier needs to provide repeating instances then there should be a separate entry for each instance.
In some cases, such as the definition of supplier contact information, it may be desirable to provide details for more than one supplier. This should be achieved by repeating the instances in groups of elements. In such a case, the Contact Name or Title , Full Postal Address of Supplier , Postcode of Supplier , Telephone Number of Supplier , FAX Number of Supplier , Email Address of Supplier and Web Address of Supplier (metadata elements 34 to 40) should be provided as a group for the first supplier then repeated again as a group for each alternative supplier. This concept is shown diagrammatically in Figure 2. This requirement to repeat as a group also applies when using spatial referencing by coordinates (elements 17 to 22) to define the geographic extent. A thick border in the table in Section 0 indicates repeating groups of elements.
3.2.7 Data Type
Specifies the way in which the field should be interpreted by a compiler, for example, text, integer, real, date and enumerated list, having the following meanings;
|
Text |
Free text input composed of alpha-numeric characters |
|
Integer |
Whole number |
|
Real |
Number that may include digits to the right of the decimal point |
|
Date |
The calendar date in the format CCYYMMDD. Where any part of the date is not known then it should be replaced by asterisks. So if a date was known to be sometime in 1986 but the exact month and day are not known then the date would be given as 1986****. |
|
Enumerated List |
A pre-defined list from which values may be selected |
3.2.8 Domain
Specifies the values allowed for each metadata element. "Free text" indicates that no restrictions are placed on the content of the field.
3.2.9 Discovery Metadata Structure
The organisational structure of Discovery Metadata is shown in Figure 2 below. This illustrates the relationships between the various elements and in particular emphasises the use of repeating groups of elements.
Figure 2 - Diagram Showing Structure of Discovery Metadata
3.3 Discovery Metadata Elements
The following table provides a concise summary of the 42 Discovery Metadata Elements. Each element is described in greater detail in the following section. Shading indicates element groups with the heading element in the darker shading. Heading elements do not require a metadata entry. The Data Type and Domain cells being blacked out reinforce this.
A thick border indicates repeating groups, thus:
A double border indicates groups that may repeat within groups, thus:
|
Element Name |
Identifier |
Element Definition |
Obligation |
Maximum Occurrence |
Data Type |
Domain |
|
Title |
1 |
Name by which dataset is known |
M |
1 |
Text |
Free text |
|
Alternative Title |
2 |
Short name, other name, acronym or alternative language title |
O |
N |
Text |
Free text or "Not Applicable" |
|
Originator |
3 |
Person or organisation having primary responsibility for the intellectual content of the data |
O |
N |
Text |
Free text or "Not Known" |
|
Abstract |
4 |
Brief narrative summary of the dataset |
M |
1 |
Text |
Free text |
|
Data Capture Period |
5 |
The period during which data capture took place |
O |
1 |
||
|
Status of Start Date of Capture |
6 |
Status of knowledge on Start Date of Capture |
O |
1 |
Enumerated List |
Known Not Known Not Applicable |
|
Start Date of Capture |
7 |
Date on which data was first collected |
C |
1 |
Date |
Date |
|
Status of End Date of Capture |
8 |
Status of knowledge on End Date of Capture |
O |
1 |
Enumerated List |
Known Not known Not Applicable Ongoing |
|
End Date of Capture |
9 |
Date on which data was last collected |
C |
1 |
Date |
Date |
|
Frequency of Update |
10 |
Revision regime of dataset |
O |
1 |
Enumerated List |
Hourly Daily Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Quarterly Biannually Annually Biennially Triennially Quinquennially Decennially Continuous Irregular Never Not Known Other |
|
Presentation Type |
11 |
Form in which the data resource is available |
O |
N |
Enumerated List |
Image Graphic Map Numeric Text Other |
|
Access Constraint |
12 |
Restrictions and legal prerequisites for accessing the dataset |
O |
N |
Enumerated List |
Financial Legal Other Not Known None |
|
Use Constraints |
13 |
Restrictions and legal prerequisites on using the data |
O |
1 |
Text |
Free text or "Not Known" |
|
Keywords |
14 |
Common-use words or phrases summarising the subject of the dataset |
M |
1 |
Text |
Free text |
|
Geographic extent |
15 |
Geographic area or areas for which data is available |
M |
1 |
||
|
Spatial Referencing by Coordinates |
16 |
Geographic extent referenced by use of coordinates |
C |
1 |
||
|
System of Spatial Referencing by Coordinates |
17 |
Name or description of system or systems of spatial referencing by coordinates used for the geographic extent |
M |
N |
Enumerated List |
British National Grid, Irish Grid, Latitude and Longitude |
|
Bounding Rectangle |
18 |
Rectangle defining an area of occurrence of the dataset |
M |
N |
||
|
West Bounding Coordinate |
19 |
Westernmost coordinate of the limit of the area |
M |
1 |
Real |
Grid value / longitude |
|
East Bounding Coordinate |
20 |
Easternmost coordinate of the limit of the area |
M |
1 |
Real |
Grid value / longitude |
|
North Bounding Coordinate |
21 |
Northernmost coordinate of the limit of the area |
M |
1 |
Real |
Grid value / latitude |
|
South Bounding Coordinate |
22 |
Southernmost coordinate of the limit of the area |
M |
1 |
Real |
Grid value / latitude |
|
Spatial Referencing by Geographic Identifiers |
23 |
Geographic extent referenced by use of geographic identifiers |
C |
1 |
||
|
National Extent |
24 |
Geographic extent or occurrence of dataset by parts of the United Kingdom |
C |
N |
Enumerated List |
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Great Britain Offshore United Kingdom |
|
Administrative Area Extent |
25 |
Geographic extent or occurrence of dataset by administrative area |
C |
N |
Enumerated List |
List of Administrative Areas |
|
Postcode District Extent |
26 |
Geographic extent or occurrence of dataset by postcode district |
C |
N |
Enumerated List |
List of Postcode Districts |
|
Spatial Reference System |
27 |
Name or description of the system of spatial referencing, whether by coordinates or geographic identifiers, used in the dataset |
M |
N |
Text |
Free text or "Not Known" |
|
Level of Spatial Detail |
28 |
Description of the granularity of the data |
O |
1 |
Text |
Free text or "Not Known" |
|
Supply Media |
29 |
Type of media in which the data can be supplied |
O |
N |
Enumerated List |
Paper Magnetic Optical On-line Other |
|
Data Format |
30 |
Format in which digital data can be provided |
O |
N |
Text |
Free text |
|
Additional Information Source |
31 |
Source of further information about the dataset |
O |
N |
Text |
Free text or "None" |
|
Dataset Association |
32 |
Title of relevant related dataset or description of data resource which may be used or be of value in association with the subject dataset |
O |
N |
Text |
Free text or "None" |
|
Supplier |
33 |
Details of the organisation(s) from which the data can be obtained |
M |
N |
||
|
Contact Name or Title |
34 |
Name or title of person nominated by the supplier as first point of contact |
M |
1 |
Text |
Free text |
|
Full postal address of supplier |
35 |
Postal address of supplier including organisation name, building name or number, street name, city , county and country |
M |
1 |
Text |
Free text |
|
Postcode of supplier |
36 |
Postal code part of address of supplier |
M |
1 |
Text |
Free text |
|
Telephone number of supplier |
37 |
Telephone number by which individuals can talk to the organisation or individual |
O |
1 |
Text |
Free text or "Not Applicable" |
|
Facsimile number of supplier |
38 |
Facsimile number which individuals can use to contact the organisation or individual |
O |
1 |
Text |
Free text or "Not Applicable" |
|
Email address of supplier |
39 |
Internet Email address which individuals can use to contact the organisation or individual |
O |
1 |
Text |
Free text or "Not Applicable" |
|
Web address of supplier |
40 |
Supplying organisation’s World Wide Web site |
O |
1 |
Text |
Free text or "Not Applicable" |
|
Date of Update of Metadata |
41 |
Date on which the Metadata was last changed |
M |
1 |
Date |
Date |
|
Sample |
42 |
A sample of the dataset |
O |
N |
Image or text |
CGM/GIF/JPEG/TIFF or Free Text |
Appendix F contains abbreviated names that may be used on data entry and search forms.