METADATA GUIDELINES and the DATA SET DESCRIPTION
A data set rarely is well known enough and understood by
all so that it stands on its own. The gathering and analysis of most data sets involve certain assumptions.
Information is placed in data table fields whose title and content do not always have common meanings.
Biologists create databases to capture certain information, usually for a specific purpose. So, all databases
are not equal, and some explanation is needed to know how to use the database information and how not to use it.
Metadata provide the database creator with the tool to describe the database to potential users and set the
sideboards that delineate the use of that data.
The metadata used in the ERPIN system will follow international standards. For those using
ArcGIS 8/9, you can fill out the metadata for your data sets using
ArcCatalog. When using ArcCatalog, the ERPIN metadata format does not require filling in all of the text boxes
in all parts of the ArcCatalog metadata form. We have provided instructions on which boxes in which parts of the
ArcCatalog format should be completed.
For those with older ESRI products (e.g., ArcView 3.2 and earlier) or without
the ability to create the geospatial layers themselves, there is a spreadsheet
version (.xls) that can be filled out and forwarded with the data set. To see
the type of information that we hope will be included in the metadata, you can view or download an already
completed sample version of the spreadsheet in a .pdf file format, or check the
metadata attached to the data sets already on the ERPIN internet site.
If metadata is not provided with the contributed data set, and because metadata is such an important part of
every data set, we will not post data sets on the ERPIN site without metadata and will attempt to interview data
contributors to get the necessary information.
In addition to the metadata, we need some basic information about the data set to allow the ERPIN system to
organize the data sets and allow them to be queried. This information is included in spreadsheet version of
metadata form noted above.
If you have questions about metadata or the process
of creating it, please contact:
Ken DeVore
Research Analyst (GIS)
California Department of Fish and Game
4001 North Wilson Way
Stockton, CA 95205
(209) 942-6076
© 2005 State of California
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