Dataset Conventions

Appropriate Dataset Use Case

Datasets are created in GCIS when cited by Reports, Figures, Tables, etc.
A dataset should be unique per version.
Dataset has many extraneous or problematic fields. Create with caution.

Field Conventions

Valid Fields

Field	Description
identifier	An external ID is preferred if sufficiently unique. Data.gov is preferred as an external ID. DOI is also acceptable. Identifier must be unique for this version of the dataset. If no acceptable external ID, org_name + dataset_name + version In version, . become _If no version, org_name + dataset_name + publication_year
name	Use the same name as the external source.
version	The external version, if any. Follows their convention.
description	Any available description from the landing page or website of organization. May be shortened.
native_id	The external id, if any. The identifier for this dataset given by the producer or archive for the dataset.
url	A URL for a landing page. Probably can’t be guaranteed unique.
doi	The DOI for this dataset, if any. Probably can’t be guaranteed unique.
release_dt	The date on which this version of this dataset was released.
publication_year	The date on which this dataset was initially published, regardless of version.
description_attribution	A URL which contains the description of this dataset given in the description field. If same as URL, duplicate URL here.
report_id	the GCIS id of the report this resource belongs to.
chapter_id	the GCIS id of the report this resource belongs to.

Soft Deprecated Fields

These fields have more to do with the dataset itself, and belong with the owner of the dataset not with USGCRP’s system.

• type
• data_qualifier
• spatial_ref_sys
• cite_metadata
• scope
• processing_level
• spatial_res

Hard Deprecated Fields

These fields could go on an associated Activity, but would be actively harmful on the Dataset:

• access_dt
• scale

If a subset of the data was used, these fields may be relevant but belong on the Activity not the Dataset.

• start_time
• end_time
• lat_min
• lat_max
• lon_min
• lon_max
• spatial_extent
• temporal_extent
• vertical_extent

These fields should not be used:

• attributes
• variables

Provenance Conventions

Datasets use prov:wasDerivedFrom, where a figure “prov:wasDerivedFrom” a dataset, through an activity

Relationship Conventions

Contributors

• Datasets should have their owner organiation linked to them via a contributor.
• Normally via the data_archive role.

Files

• Historically Datasets have sometimes had a jpg associated with them.
• Not required

Report

• Dataset may belong to a Report or Indicator.

Chapter

• Dataset may belong to a Chapter, if the Report is broken into Chapters and the dataset is within them.

GCMD_ Keywords

• not to be used for the moment. To be determined.

Regions

• not to be used.