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funded by NPRB since 2002. See descriptions of data collected
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research in the Gulf of Alaska. Learn about integrated ecosystem
research in the Arctic.

Create Your Metadata

Download the NPRB Metadata Template

The NPRB metadata template (.zip) has predefined attributes and explanations of things for which a value is expected. It contains:

nprb_metadata_template.xml | metadata template document
NBII_classic.xsl | an .xslt script program that helps you to generate a user-friendly representation of the metadata file in a browser such as Internet Explorer.

Instructions: Unzip both files in the same folder and double-click the template.xml file. By default, the ".xml" file extension is associated with Internet Explorer in Windows so you will be able to see this even if you do not have a specific metadata application program.

Create your metadata records

MetaVist
instructions and support

Getting Started with MetaVist shows how to use the software as well as how to directly incorporate taxonomic information directly from ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System).
Online Biological Data Profile Workbook

If you choose not to use MetaVist ...

If you use a plain text editor such as Notepad instead of the recommended Metavist to edit the provided template and create your project specific metadata record, be aware that 5 symbols called "predefined entities" should be encoded this way:

Symbol “less than” ( < ) should be represented by <
Symbol “greater than” ( > ) should be represented by >
Symbol “apostrophe” ( ' ) should be represented by '
Symbol “quote” ( " ) should be represented by "

To edit the template -- and thus create your project-specific metadata records -- we recommend using MetaVist software, which is freely available.

Download MetaVist

Download the full installation package for the MetaVist software (version 1.6). Unzip the file and run Setup.exe to install MetaVist. MetaVist can also be ordered on a CD.

If you choose NOT to use MetaVist, see sidebar at right for tips.

MetaVist Tips and Tricks

Remove comments

When you open your file in Metavist, you will find explanations and comments enclosed in square brackets. These are there for instruction purposes only and should be removed once you have entered your information.

Use real dates

Where possible, substitute the Date value "Unknown" with a real date. The "Unknown" value is used to avoid an error message during Metavist value verification.

Spatial data and spatial references

The template does not contain an example for Spatial Data Organization Information and Spatial Reference Information (Sections 3 and 4). However, you must complete these sections if applicable to your data.

Distribution and metadata reference

You are not required to provide Distribution Information (Section 6), as this is the purview of NPRB. We will add links for the files when we make them available online.

We will also update the Metadata Reference Information (section 7) as this document will be hosted and distributed by NPRB.

Feel free to provide additional Distribution Information if your datasets are also going to be distributed by other distribution systems.

Validate your metadata

The USGS Geospatial Metadata Vaildation Service checks your FGDC-compatible geospatial metadata records. Provide a metadata record that is formatted as indented text, XML, or SGML. Results will show discrepancies between the structure of your metadata record and the expectation of the FGDC metadata standard (FGDC-STD-001-1998) and will show several potentially useful re-expressions of the metadata record itself.

Note: data management and QA/QC statements

If you were asked by NPRB in the past to provide a "Data Management and Quality Assurance/Quality Control Statement" you may disregard that request. All information required for that statement is now included within the metadata document.