Data Discovery (FGDC)
CSDGM was developed by the The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) - a U.S. Federal inter-agency committee that promotes the coordinated development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data. FGDC activities are hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey and allows users to: a) ascertain the fitness of the geospatial data set for an intended use; and, b) Determine the availability, means of accessing, and to successfully transfer a set of geospatial data.
FGDC for Data Discovery - Mandatory
The FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata includes fields in the Identification Information and Metadata Reference Sections that are mandatory for data discovery. In the graphical representation of the standard, these are yellow fields included in yellow sections.
Source: CSDGM Graphical Representation Mandatory FGDC metadata fields - data.gov| Concept | Description | Dialect (Fit) Paths |
|---|---|---|
| Resource Title | A short description of the resource. The title should be descriptive enough so that when a user is presented with a list of titles the general content of the data set can be determined. | ADIwg /adiwg:project/adiwg:idinfo/adiwg:citation/adiwg:citeinfo/adiwg:title DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Entry_Title DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Data_Set_Citation/dif9:Dataset_Title DCAT /dct:title Dryad dcterms:title ECHO /*/echo:ShortName>/*/echo:LongName ECS /*/ecs:ShortName > /*/ecs:LongName EML /eml:dataset/eml:title/eml:text FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:citation/fgdc:citeinfo/fgdc:title HDF5.1 /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Attribute[@Name='title']/hdf5:Data/hdf5:DataFromFile HDF5.1 /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Group[@Name='METADATA']/hdf5:Group[@Name='COLLECTIONMETADATA']/hdf5:Attribute[@Name='LongName']/hdf5:Data/hdf5:DataFromFile ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:citation/gmd:CI_Citation/gmd:title/gco:CharacterString ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:citation/cit:CI_Citation/cit:title/gco:CharacterString UMM /umm:UMM/umm:CollectionCitation/umm:Title OGC-SOS /sos:Capabilities/ows:ServiceIdentification/ows:Title SERF /serf:SERF/serf:Entry_Title THREDDS /thredds:catalog/thredds:dataset/@name THREDDS /thredds:catalog/thredds:dataset/thredds:metadata/dc:title THREDDS //thredds:dataset[1]/@name netCDF /nc:netcdf/nc:attribute[@nc:name=title]/@nc:value |
| Originating Organization | The organization responsible for creating the resource | DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Originating_Center ECHO /*/echo:ProcessingCenter EML /eml:dataset/eml:creator/eml:organizationName/eml:text FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:citation/fgdc:citeinfo/fgdc:origin HDF5.1 /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Attribute[@Name='institution']/hdf5:Data/hdf5:DataFromFile HDF5.1 /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Group[@Name='METADATA']/hdf5:Group[@Name='COLLECTIONMETADATA']/hdf5:Group[@Name='ContactOrganization']/hdf5:Group[@Name='Data_Originator'] ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:citation/gmd:CI_Citation/gmd:citedResponsibleParty/gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty[normalize-space(gmd:role/gmd:CI_RoleCode)='author']/gmd:organisationName/gco:CharacterString ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:citation/cit:CI_Citation/cit:citedResponsibleParty/cit:CI_Responsibility[normalize-space(cit:role/cit:CI_RoleCode)='author']/cit:party/cit:CI_Organisation/cit:name/gco:CharacterString netCDF /nc:netcdf/nc:attribute[@nc:name=institution]/@nc:value |
| Publication Date | Date of publication of the cited resource | DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Data_Set_Citation/dif9:Dataset_Release_Date DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Reference/dif9:Publication_Date DCAT /dct:issued Dryad dcterms:dateSubmitted ECHO /*/echo:InsertTime ECS /*ecs:CitationforExternalPublication EML /eml:dataset/eml:pubDate/eml:text FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:citation/fgdc:citeinfo/fgdc:pubdate ISO //gmd:CI_Citation/gmd:date/gmd:CI_Date[normalize-space(gmd:dateType/gmd:CI_DateTypeCode)='publication']/gmd:date/gco:Date ISO //gmd:CI_Citation/gmd:date/gmd:CI_Date[normalize-space(gmd:dateType/gmd:CI_DateTypeCode)='publication']/gmd:date/gco:DateTime ISO-1 //cit:CI_Citation/cit:date/cit:CI_Date[cit:dateType/cit:CI_DateTypeCode)='publication']/cit:date/gco:DateTime |
| Abstract | A paragraph describing the resource. Note: This concept is called "Desciption" in Catalog Services for the Web. | ADIwg /adiwg:project/adiwg:idinfo/adiwg:descript/adiwg:abstract DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Summary/dif9:Abstract DCAT /dct:description Dryad dcterms:description ECHO /*/echo:Description ECS /*/ecs:CollectionDescription EML /eml:dataset/eml:abstract/eml:descendant FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:descript/fgdc:abstract HDF5.1 /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Attribute[@Name='summary']/hdf5:Data/hdf5:DataFromFile HDF5.1 /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Group[@Name='METADATA']/hdf5:Group[@Name='COLLECTIONMETADATA']/hdf5:Attribute[@Name='CollectionDescription']/hdf5:Data/hdf5:DataFromFile ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:abstract/gco:CharacterString ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:abstract/gco:CharacterString UMM /umm:UMM/umm:Summary OGC-SOS /sos:Capabilities/ows:ServiceIdentification/ows:Abstract SERF /serf:SERF/serf:Summary/serf:Abstract THREDDS //thredds:dataset/thredds:documentation[@type='abstract'] THREDDS //thredds:metadata/thredds:documentation[@type='abstract'] netCDF /nc:netcdf/nc:attribute[@nc:name='summary']/@nc:value |
| Purpose | A paragraph describing the original purpose for collecting the dataset. | DIF (1) /dif9:DIF/dif9:Summary/dif9:Purpose ECHO (1) /*/SuggestedUsage ECS (1) /*/ecs:SuggestedUsage1 FGDC /fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:descript/fgdc:purpose HDF5.1 (1) /hdf5:HDF5-File/hdf5:RootGroup/hdf5:Group[@Name='METADATA']/hdf5:Group[@Name='COLLECTIONMETADATA']/hdf5:Group[@Name='ECSCollection']/hdf5:Attribute[@Name='SuggestedUsage']/hdf5:Data/hdf5:DataFromFile ISO (1) /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:purpose/gco:CharacterString ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:purpose/gco:CharacterString UMM (1) /umm:UMM/umm:Summary/umm:Purpose SERF /serf:SERF/serf:Summary/serf:Purpose |
| Resource Status | The status of the resource | DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Data_Set_Progress FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:status ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/gmd:MD_DataIdentification/gmd:status/gmd:MD_ProgressCode ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:status/mcc:MD_ProgressCode |
| Resource Update Frequency | The frequency with which changes and additions are made to the data set after the initial data set is completed | DCAT /dct:accrualPeriodicity FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:status/fgdc:update ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:resourceMaintenance/gmd:MD_MaintenanceInformation/gmd:maintenanceAndUpdateFrequency/gmd:MD_MaintenanceFrequencyCode ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:resourceMaintenance/mmi:MD_MaintenanceInformation/mmi:maintenanceAndUpdateFrequency/mmiMD_MaintenanceFrequencyCode |
| Temporal Extent | The temporal extent of the resource | DIF /dif9:TemporalCoverage DCAT /dct:temporal ECHO /*/Temporal/RangeDateTime ECS /ecs:RangeBeginningDate ECS /ecs:RangeEndingDate FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:timeperd/fgdc:timeinfo/fgdc:rngdates ISO /*/gmd:MD_DataIdentification/gmd:extent/gmd:EX_Extent/gmd:temporalElement/gmd:EX_TemporalExtent ISO-1 /*/mri:MD_DataIdentification/mri:extent/gex:EX_Extent/gex:temporalElement/gex:EX_TemporalExtent THREDDS /thredds:catalog/thredds:metadata/thredds:timeCoverage/thredds:duration] THREDDS /thredds:catalog/thredds:dataset/thredds:timeCoverage/thredds:duration] netCDF /nc:netcdf/nc:CFMetadata/nc:attribute[@nc:name=time_coverage_duration]/@nc:value |
| Bounding Box | A bounding box for identifying a geographic area of interest Note: This concept is called "Coverage" in the CSW Specification | DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Spatial_Coverage DCAT /dct:spatial ECHO /*/echo:Spatial/echo:HorizontalSpatialDomain/echo:Geometry/echo:BoundingRectangle ECS /*/ecs:Spatial/ecs:HorizontalSpatialDomain/ecs:BoundingRectangle FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:spdom/fgdc:bounding ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/gmd:MD_DataIdentification/gmd:extent/gmd:EX_Extent/gmd:geographicElement/gmd:EX_GeographicBoundingBox ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/srv:SV_ServiceIdentification/srv:extent/gmd:EX_Extent/gmd:geographicElement/gmd:EX_GeographicBoundingBox ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:extent/gex:EX_Extent/gex:geographicElement/gex:EX_GeographicBoundingBox |
| Resource Access Constraints | Information about any constraints for accessing the data set. This includes any special restrictions, legal prerequisites, limitations and/or warnings on obtaining the data set. Some words that may be used in this field include: Public, In-house, Limited, Additional detailed instructions on how to access the data can be entered in this field. | DIF /dif9:DIF/dif9:Access_Constraints DCAT /dct:accessLevel DCAT dct:accessLevelComment ECHO /*/echo:RestrictionFlag ECHO /*/echo:RestrictionComment ECHO /*/echo:Visible ECS /*/ecs:AccessConstraints FGDC /fgdc:metadata/fgdc:idinfo/fgdc:accconst ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:resourceConstraints/gmd:MD_LegalConstraints/gmd:accessConstraints/gco:CharacterString ISO /*/gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:resourceConstraints/gmd:MD_LegalConstraints/gmd:otherConstraints/gco:CharacterString ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:resourceConstraints/mco:MD_LegalConstraints/mco:accessConstraints/gco:CharacterString ISO-1 /mdb:MD_Metadata/mdb:identificationInfo/*/mri:resourceConstraints/mco:MD_LegalConstraints/mco:otherConstraints/gco:CharacterString SERF /serf:DIF/serf:Access_Constraints THREDDS /thredds:catalog/thredds:dataset/thredds:documentation[@type="rights"] THREDDS /thredds:catalog/thredds:metadata/thredds:documentation[@type="rights"] netCDF /nc:netcdf/nc:variable/nc:attribute[@nc:name=license]/@nc:value |
| Resource Use Constraints | Information abou
xPath Note: The xPaths included in this table use several wildcards. // means any path, so //gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty indicates a gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty anywhere in an XML file. /*/ indicates a single level with several possible elements. This usually indicates one of several concrete realizations of an abstract object. For example /*/gmd:identificationInfo could be gmd:MD_Metadata/gmd:identificationInfo or gmi:MI_Metadata/gmd:identificationInfo and gmd:identificationInfo/*/gmd:descriptiveKeywords could be gmd:identificationInfo/gmd:MD_DataIdentification/gmd:descriptiveKeywords or gmd:identificationInfo/srv:SV_ServiceIdentification/gmd:descriptiveKeywords. Fit: The fit of the dialect path with the concept is estimated on a scale of 1 = excellent two-way fit, 2 = one-way fit or some other problem, 3 - extension required. xPath Note: The xPaths included in this table use several wildcards. // means any path, so //gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty indicates a gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty anywhere in an XML file. /*/ indicates a single level with several possible elements. This usually indicates one of several concrete realizations of an abstract object. For example /*/gmd:identificationInfo could be gmd:MD_Metadata/gmd:identificationInfo or gmi:MI_Metadata/gmd:identificationInfo and gmd:identificationInfo//*/gmd:descriptiveKeywords could be gmd:identificationInfo/gmd:MD_DataIdentification/gmd:descriptiveKeywords or gmd:identificationInfo/srv:SV_ServiceIdentification/gmd:descriptiveKeywords. Fit: The fit of the dialect path with the concept is estimated on a scale of 1 = excellent two-way fit, 2 = one-way fit or some other problem, 3 - extension required. |
