Code List (Flat Vocabulary)

Definition, description and example of a code list

Definition of Code List

A code list is a type of flat controlled vocabularyA managed list of terms. In the context of vocabularies, management typically includes careful selection of terms, maintenance of terms over time (i.e. addition, deprecation, modification), and presentation of the vocabulary in an accessible format. Related Guide consisting of a set of codes and meanings used in a specific project.

Discussion

Like the gazetteer, a code list is a very specific type of vocabulary that allows users to interpret metadataData about data. Metadata provides a context for research findings, ideally in a machine-readable format. It enables discovery of data via an electronic interface, and correct use and attribution of findings. Related Guide whose labels are abbreviated or represented as numerals or acronyms. The codes could be computer-readable, human-readable, or a hybrid of each.

Example - GCMD Sensors Vocabulary (Instrument Keywords)

• AIRS > Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
• AIS > Arizona Imager Spectrograph
• AMI > Active Microwave Instrument
• ATM > Airborne Topographic Mapper
• BIONESS > Bedford Institute of Oceanography Net Environmental Sampling System
• CAPS > Cloud, Aerosol, Precipitation Spectrometer
• CERES > Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System
• CPA > Charged Particle Analyzer
• CPC > Cloud Particle Counter
• CRS > Cloud Radar System
• DIAL > Differential Absorption Lidar
• EPIC > Energetic Particle and Ion Composition (Geotail)
• ERB > Earth Radiation Budget
• GLAS > Geoscience Laser Altimeter System
• GOLF > Global Oscillations at Low Frequencies
• GSD > Germanium Semiconductor Detector
• KBR > K-Band Ranging system
• LIP > Lightning Instrument Package
• LIS > Lightning Imaging Sensor
• MACAWS > Multicenter Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Profiling Wind Sensor
• MBLA > Multi-Beam Laser Altimeter
• MWA > Multiple Water Analyzer
• NMLR > Nebraska Multiband Leaf Radiometer
• OPC > Optical Plankton Counter
• ORG > Optical Rain Gauge
• PALS > Passive and Active L- and S-Band System
• PARABOLA > Portable Apparatus Rapid Acquisition Bidirectional Observ Land and Atmos
• ROWS > Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer
• SAR > Synthetic Aperture Radar
• SLAR > Side-Looking Airborne Radar
• SOPA > Synchronous Orbit Particle Analyzer
• SOUP > Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter
• TEAMS > Time of Flight Energy Angle Mass Spectrometer
• USO > Ultra-Stable Oscillator
• WFC > Wide FieldIndividual instance of a metadata label and value pair. For example, "creator: John Doe" is a metadata element. Related Guide Camera
• WS > Wind Scatterometer

This list of codes represents human-readable codes and what they mean. This list is formatted in a very human-friendly way: code > definition.

Example - CDI Sea Search (SeaDataNet) Vocabularies (FTP Site - seasearch_category.csv)

• "CODE","TITLE"
• "B005","Bacteria and viruses"
• "B007","Biota composition"
• "B015","Birds, mammals and reptiles"
• "B020","Fish"
• "B025","Microzooplankton"
• "B027","Other biological measurements"
• "B030","Phytoplankton"
• "B035","Pigments"
• "B040","Zoobenthos"
• "B045","Zooplankton"
• "C003","Amino acids"
• "C005","Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus"
• "C010","Carbonate system"
• "C015","Dissolved gases"
• "C017","Fatty acids"
• "C020","Halocarbons (including freons)"
• "C025","Hydrocarbons"
• "C030","Isotopes"
• "C035","Metal concentrations"
• "C040","Nutrients"
• "C045","Other inorganic chemical measurements"
• "C050","Other organic chemical measurements"
• "C055","PCBs and organic micropollutants"
• "D005","Acoustics"
• "D015","Optical properties"
• "D025","Water column temperature and salinity"
• "D020","Other physical oceanographic measurements"
• "D030","Currents"
• "D032","Sea level"
• "D034","Waves"
• "G005","Gravity, magnetics and bathymetry"
• "G010","Sediment properties"
• "G012","Sonar and seismics"
• "G015","Suspended particulate matter"
• "G020","Sedimentary rock geochemistry and geochronology"
• "G025","Igneous and metamorphic rock geochemistry and geochronology"
• "M005","Atmospheric chemistry"
• "M010","Meteorology"
• "M015","Cryosphere"
• "O005","Fluxes"
• "O010","Rate measurements (including production, excretion and grazing)"
• "T001","Terrestrial"
• "Z005","Administration and dimensions"

In this example, the codes are largely computer-readable. Originally formatted as comma-separated valuesMetadata values are the content connected to metadata labels in a metadata element. For example, if the metadata label is "date", the metadata value could be "May 13, 2007". Related Guide (seasearch_categories.csv) in a text file, this code list provides a human-understandable interpretation of computer-readable codes.