MMI Metadata Tutorial at Ocean Sciences '08

MMI presented free tutorial modules, "Metadata for Ocean Scientists", at the Ocean Sciences '08 meeting in Orlando, FL, March 3-7.

Event Description

MMI held free metadata tutorials divided into 30-minute modules at the Ocean Sciences 2008 meeting. The modules were: Introduction to Metadata; Introduction to Controlled Vocabularies, Taxonomies and Ontologies; Submitting Metadata to a Clearinghouse; and Metadata Best Practices. Two modules were held during each lunch break on Tuesday, 3/4 and Wednesday 3/5 in room W105. All four modules will be provided on Thursday 3/6 evening (7:30 - 9:30 pm) in room W102.

The presentations and related materials are available at http://marinemetadata.org/oceansciences08

Tutorial Details

The modules for the tutorial aare as follows:

  • Introduction to Metadata – In this module, we help scientists (and their teams) learn to use metadata to document their data sets. We use typical oceanographic data sets to demonstrate this process. We encourage all scientists and data technicians who want to understand basic metadata principles to attend this training.
  • Introduction to Controlled Vocabularies, Taxonomies and Ontologies – In this module, we introduce scientists to approaches that help reduce semantic interoperability problems between different data systems. Controlled vocabularies, taxonomies, and ontologies are three different mechanisms that can help scientists find the data that they need – with minimal confusion about what different terms mean.
  • Submitting Metadata to a Clearinghouse –

    In this module, we help scientists submit (or publish) their metadata to the major metadata clearinghouses (NSDI/FGDC, Geospatial Onestop, NBII, OBIS, and GCMD) by providing an overview of each. (We may also provide a table that can be used as a reference later - hardcopy or online.) In the overview of each clearinghouse we address: a. requirements for use (metadata standards, any required metadata elements, connections...), and b. tools/resources for help publishing to a clearinghouse. We also present evaluation criteria that we think would be helpful for participants to use when determing which clearinghouse to use. In addition to the overview, we will also use typical oceanographic data sets to demonstrate the submittal process to the Geospatial Onestop.

  • Metadata Best Practices – In this module, we present a high-level overview of contemporary practices and standards in metadata. This loosely structured, flexible module allows ample opportunity for attendees to ask questions about metadata issues facing them and their organizations.

Other MMI Activity

The MMI project was well represented at this event. See the link under Related Items for more details!

Posted March 28th, 2008 by carynn
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