International Workshops
Workshops confirmed to date:

(Sunday, May 15)
Digital Government Integration & Systems Evaluation

E-Authentication Infrastructures and their Interoperability: a corner-stone for the third millennium society

dg.o2005 Tutorials
Tutorials offered, subject to advance registration:

(Sunday, May 15)
Application of Social Network Analysis in Digital Government Research

(Wednesday, May 18)
Data Confidentiality and Statistical Disclosure Limitation
` dg.o2005 Tutorial: Building Working Partnerships: Government and the Academy

dg.o2005 Tutorial: Scientific Metadata: Making Data More Valuable

Presenters: Vivian Hutchison, NBII and Lynn Kutner, NatureServe

Scheduled: 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 18 | REGISTER NOW

Description:
This half-day metadata workshop sponsored by the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) provides an introduction to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata and the NBII Biological Data Profile. Biological and geospatial metadata records are created in a standardized format, and describe the characteristics of a data set such as content, quality, condition for use and analysis. The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata was adopted by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) in 1994 as the documentation standard for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data sets. The standard was revised in 1998, and in 1999 the NBII Biological Metadata Profile was approved. This extension to the original FGDC standard allowed for the documentation of "biological" data sets; non-spatial tabular data sets often collected in biological disciplines. The Biological Profile encompasses the entire geospatial metadata standard and includes additional elements to describe taxonomy, methods, and analytical tools (such as models). The focus of this workshop is to define "metadata"; provide an overview of the federal metadata standard and profiles; explain the concept of clearinghouses and how to contribute to them; compare metadata development tools; present methods for writing quality metadata records and strategies for organized metadata production.

Goal:
The target audience for this metadata workshop is scientific data managers, scientists, and anyone specifically seeking federal funds for scientific research projects. With the information and exercises provided and skills developed from this workshop the participants will have an understanding of:

  • the definition of metadata and why it is important
  • how to interpret and use the federal standard
  • the definition of a clearinghouse and how to contribute records
  • methods for producing quality metadata records
  • tools available to create records
  • strategies for metadata production
Metadata is a valuable tool. These records preserve the usefulness of data over time by detailing methods for data collection and data set creation. Metadata greatly minimize duplication of effort in the collection of expensive digital data and foster sharing of digital data resources. Metadata supports local data asset management such as local inventory and data catalogs, and external user communities such as Clearinghouses and websites. It provides adequate guidance for end-use application of data such as detailed lineage and context. Metadata makes it possible for data users to search, retrieve, and evaluate data set information from vast networks of biological and geospatial databases by providing standardized descriptions of geospatial and biological data. The creation of metadata records for federally funded science projects was mandated by President Clinton in 1995 through Executive Order 12906.

Outline: Introduction to Metadata:
In this section, participants will learn the definition of metadata, its value, examples from the everyday world, reasons for standards, and a brief history of the FGDC standard.

FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) and Biological Data Profile:
In this section, participants will be given an overview of FGDC standard and the Biological Data Profile. Topics will include how to read the standard, its contents, and how to use the graphical representation of the standard.
Writing Quality Metadata
Participants will learn some basic rules and tips for creating quality metadata, such as how to structure a title and how to select good keywords to maximize search effects in clearinghouses.

Tools and Resources for metadata creation and management:
In this section, participants will be introduced to a variety of metadata creation and validation tools available, including comparisons on functionality and price.

Implementation: Decisions, Challenges, and Resources:
Topics in this section include strategies for obtaining organizational support for metadata production, funding opportunities for metadata, the types of data sets that should be documented, the best time to collect metadata, and who should create metadata within an organization.

Clearinghouses:
In this section participants will learn the definition of a clearinghouse, how clearinghouses operate, how to upload records, and which clearinghouses contribute to the advancement of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The NBII Clearinghouse will be used as an example in this section.

FAQs and Fact Sheets:
http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/ctc/
http://www.lic.wisc.edu/metadata/metaprim.htm
http://www.fgdc.gov/publications/documents/metadata/metafact.pdf
http://www.fgdc.gov/publications/documents/metadata/metabroc.html
http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/top10metadataerrors.pdf

The FGDC Standard:
http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/contstan.html

Biological Data Profile:
http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/standards/

Graphical Representation of the Standard:
http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/standards/bdp.html

Brief Bios:
Vivian Hutchison - NBII
Vivian Hutchison is the Metadata Program Coordinator for the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), an organization supported by US Geological Survey/Biological Resources Division. Vivian oversees a metadata program that includes a national Clearinghouse of metadata records, quality control processes, and metadata creation services. She organizes metadata training sessions for wildlife biologists and data managers, and manages content and architecture for several web pages at the NBII. Vivian participates regularly in national data standards committees, and is the Communications Chair for the Organization of Fish and Wildlife Information Managers (OFWIM). She has been with the NBII since June 2002, and her office is located in the USGS Western Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA.

Lynn Kutner - NatureServe
Lynn Kutner is the Metadata Trainer and Coordinator for NatureServe. She has been a trainer for Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and the NBII Biological Data Profile metadata standards since June 2003. She has taught numerous _ day, 1, and 2 day workshops that included participants in such organizations and agencies as Natural Heritage Programs, state natural resources departments, US Geological Survey, NBII, US Fish and Wildlife Service, NatureServe, and The Nature Conservancy.

Contact Information:
Vivian Hutchison
NBII Metadata Coordinator
US Geological Survey
6505 NE 65th Street
Seattle, WA 98115
phone: 206.526.6282 ext. 329
email: vhutchison@usgs.gov

Lynn Kutner
NatureServe
2400 Spruce Street, Suite 201
Boulder, CO 80302
phone: 303.541.0360
fax: 303.449.4328
email: lynn_kutner@natureserve.org