Metadata Best Practices

The following pages contain detailed descriptions of the best practices for each field in a metadata record, including examples.

• Resource Overview
  • Basic Overview
  • Contacts
    • Detailed Contact Information
    • Additional Credit
  • Category and Form
• Contact Information
  • Name and Affiliation
  • Contact Information
  • Research Identfier
  • Role
• Keywords
• Taxonomic Information
• Spatial and Temporal Extent
  • Spatial Bounds
    • Bounding Box and Description
    • Polygons, Points, or Lines
    • Draw map
  • Time Period(s)
  • Vertical Extent
• Resource Content
  • Data Table Descriptions
    • Table Information
    • Attribute Information
  • Data Dictionary Info
  • External Data Dictionaries
• Methods
• Status and Distribution
  • Status and Maintenance
    • Status
    • Resource Maintenance
  • Publication Date and Other Dates
  • Distribution Information
  • Identifiers
    • Code
    • Authority
  • Constraints
  • Specific Uses
• Additional Fields
  • Online Resources
  • Related Resources
  • Graphic Summary
  • Supplemental Info
  • Metadata Info
  • The rest of the fields