DIY Documentation Guide

This guide can be used on your own or together with a librarian during a guided interview .

Documentation elements

Originator(s)

The name(s) of the organization(s) or individual(s) who developed the dataset.

Publication Date

The date when the dataset is published or otherwise made available for release.

Calendar Date(s) of the Content

The date, dates or date range describing the content of the dataset.

Title

A title for the dataset.

Geospatial Data Presentation Form

The mode in which the geospatial data are represented.

Examples: “vector digital data”

Abstract

A brief narrative description of the dataset.

Motivations

The reason why the dataset was developed or intentions for its use. If you created the data yourself, or augmented existing data, how does the work add value to the current data landscape. In other words, what are the project’s successes?

Data sources

If you obtained data from elsewhere and edited it, the source of the original datasets and date accessed.

Body of work

Is this data related to any larger bodies of work or projects which could help explain the methods or content of the data? Please include links to any relevant citations.

Process steps and methods

A sequential explanation of the step-by-step process for creating or editing the data.

Challenges

Challenging aspects of working with the data, or words-to-the-wise for someone else endeavoring to work with it.

Pride points

If you were showing this dataset to someone for the first time, which aspects of it would you draw their attention to, and why? Help us understand which columns you think are the most important and valuable.

Relationships

If there are multiple datasets in the project, processing scripts, or other resources, the filenames and how the materials relate to or were used with one another.

Data integrity

If values are missing, or fields are blank, instructions for future users for making sense of possible reasons why. You can also provide any guidance on how you were thinking about “accuracy” for this project.

Codebooks

If you cleaned data, deleted, renamed, mathematically calculated or inferred fields from other fields, the filename and link to a plain-text codebook with field name definitions, including units of measurement.

Taxonomies

If you used any taxonomic authorities, provide the reference and any modifications.

Completion and maintenance

Acknowledging that projects are seldom “finished” or “perfect”, what, in your estimation, marks this submission as “complete”? Speak a little about the status of the data, as well as anticipated maintenance frequency (e.g. “annually”, “never”, etc.)

Point of contact

Contact information for an individual or organization that is knowledgeable about the dataset (person/organization, e-mail, etc.).

Access Constraints

Restrictions on access to the data.

Use Constraints

Restrictions on the use of the data.