Project-level metadata
As discussed in Documenting data creation, the documentation which accompanies a data set should enable a third party to make sense of the data. In addition to the specific documentation suggested in Documenting data creation, in particular the Dublin core metadata and in the general Project Metadata section, the table below outlines a set of project-level metadata that should be completed for GIS datasets.
| Project Title | |
| History of the Originating Project | the purpose of the project topic(s) of research geographic and temporal limits other relevant information |
| Information about Methods | methods used to create the data set methods used to georeference data consistency checks error corrections sampling strategies employed other relevant information |
| Details of source materials used to create the data set | archives interrogated for desktop assessments maps used to georeference site grids or surveys previous excavations/evaluations of the site data selection or sampling procedures procedures for updating, combining, or enhancing source data description of any known copyrights held on source material |
| Content and structure of data set | list of filenames and description of contents description of identification numbers assigned list of codes used, and what they mean description of any known errors indications of any known areas of weakness details of derived variables or coverages data dictionaries, if available documentation of record conversion to new systems and formats description of the record-keeping system used to document the data set names of primary project staff history of format changes to data set history of how the data set has been used other relevant information |
| Details of how the data set relates to other archives and publications | bibliographic references to any publications about the site or project information about any archives, museums, SMRs, NMRs, etc. which hold material related to the data set information about any non-public material relating to the data set |
