Overview of Metadata Help

How the Metadata Help Guide is organized

The Metadata Help Guide contains information that is available to help you understand the elements that are displayed on the metadata tabs and what data needs to be entered in these elements. The Metadata Help is organized as follows:

• Overview (what you are currently reading), which includes what information is requested on each tab on the metadata forms and how the help information is organized
• Descriptive tab elements
• Technical tab elements, grouped by setting of "Type of Item" (from Descriptive tab)
• Source tab elements, grouped by setting of "Source Type"
• Rights tab elements

Terminology used in the Metadata Help Guide:

Field

Elements and their subelements and attributes as defined in the database

Form

A screen where metadata in a record is entered, changed, and displayed. Forms are also called Tabs, and are labeled for the type of metadata they contain: Descriptive, Source, Technical or Rights.

Label

The name of the field as shown on the form. Fields may be in a group, a section, or standalone (i.e., not in a group or section). If the field is in a group, its label will have three parts -- the Section Label, followed by a dash, followed by the Group Label, followed by a dash, followed by the field name. If the field is not in a group but is in a section, its label will have two parts - the Section Label, followed by a dash, followed by the field name. If the field is standalone, its label will have one part - the field name. The field is identified on the form by the last part of the label name.

Group Label

The name of the group as shown on the form. Groups are always within sections. The Group Label may have two parts - the Section Label, followed by a dash, followed by the group name. The group is identified on the form by the last part of the label name.

Section Label

The name of the section as shown on the form.

Tab

(See Form)

Structure of the metadata as described by terminology contained in the Metadata Help Guide:

A Metadata Record contains:

Metadata Tabs, which contain:

Fields (and/or)
Sections, which contain:

Fields (and/or)
Groups, which contain:

Fields