Module Documentation: eml-methods
Back to EML Contents
The EML Methods Module describes the methods followed in the creation of the dataset, including description of field, laboratory and processing steps, sampling methods and units, quality control proceudures.

Element Definitions:

methods
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: MethodsType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
methodStep
Content of this field: Description of this field:

Derived from: ProcedureStepType (by xs:extension)

Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
dataSourceOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
The methodStep field allows for repeated sets of elements that document a series of procedures followed to produce a data object. These include text descriptions of the procedures, relevant literature, software, instrumentation, source data and any quality control measures taken.
Example:
Please see the examples for the sub-fields.
dataSource
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: ds:DatasetType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
sampling
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
studyExtentOptionalMultiple Times
samplingDescriptionOptionalMultiple Times
spatialSamplingUnitsOptionalMultiple Times
citationOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
See individual elements for more detailed descriptions.
Example:
studyExtent
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A choice of (
coverageOptionalMultiple Times
OR
descriptionOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A "studyExtent" represents both a specific sampling area and the sampling frequency (temporal boundaries, frequency of occurrence). The geographic "studyExtent" is usually a surrogate (representative area of) for the larger area documented in the "studyAreaDescription". The "studyExtent" can be entered either in non-structured textual form or using the structure of the "coverage" element.
Example:
coverage
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
description
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A textual description of the specific sampling area and the sampling frequency (temporal boundaries, frequency of occurrence).
Example:
The study was conducted on the North Platte River, starting 6 miles downstream and ending 9 miles downstream of the route 132 bridge in Evanston, ND.
samplingDescription
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
This element allows for a text-based/human readable description of the sampling procedures used in the research project. The content of this element would be similar to a description of sampling procedures found in the methods section of a journal article.
spatialSamplingUnits
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A choice of (
referencedEntityIdOptionalMultiple Times
OR
coverageOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A spatial sampling unit describes the specific geographic areas sampled. For example, if a researcher places a single light source at a specific point in a research location in order to attract insects to derive an estimate of the insect population, then the sampling unit is the area illuminated by the light source (in actual practice there might be multiple sampling unit in this case since different species have different attraction rates). A sampling unit may also be seen as the bounding box of a specific 3-meter square "plot". In the case of a study in which the measurements from several disbursed "point collection" devices are aggregated, then the sampling unit would be the area of that aggregation. Spatial sampling units can either be described by reference to a "coverage" description or by reference to the values in a data table (usually a GIS layer)
Example:
x
referencedEntityId
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A value of a "referencedEntityId" element is reference to the identifier of the "entity" module that provides the metadata for a data table (RDBMS, GIS or "ascii" text) that has the actual spatial sampling unit values. The "referencedEntityId" is an indirect pointer to the actual values. The "referencedEntityId" can be thought of as a "foreign key" in a relational database.
Example:
x
coverage
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: cov:GeographicCoverage
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
citation
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: cit:CitationType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
qualityControl
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: ProcedureStepType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
The qualityControl field provides a location for the description of actions taken to either control or assess the quality of data resulting from the associated method step. A quality control description should identifiy a quality goal and describe prescriptive steps taken to ensure that the data meet those standards or to postcriptive steps taken to assess the extent to which they are met. A quality ccontrol statement is associated with the methodStep that could have affected the targeted quality goal.
description
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
The description field allows for repeated text that describes the methodology for a project, experiment, or particular data table. Likewise, a literature citation may be provided that describes the methodology that was employed.
Example:
<para> 1.Collect tissues from algae of interest. </para> <para> a.We are currently collecting Egregia menziezii, Mazzaella splendens, M. flaccida, Hedophyllum sessile, Postelsia palmaeformis and Fucus gardneri.We stopped collecting Neorhodomela larix and Odonthalia floccosa because they can be heavily fouled and we feared that would skew the results. </para> <para> b.We collect a 7-10 cm blade or branch from each plant. For Egregia, try to sample small, young plants or take the base of the blade. For Postelsia, take a few of the blades. The other plants are small enough so a whole blade can be taken. </para>
citation
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: cit:CitationType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
protocol
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: pro:ProtocolType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
instrumentation
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
The Instrumentation field allows the description of any instruments used in the data collection. The description should include vendor, model number, optional equipment, etc.
Example:
LACHAT analyzer, model XYX.
software
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: sw:SoftwareType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
The software element allows reference to any software used to process data.
subStep
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: ProcedureStepType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Attribute Definitions:

Complex Type Definitions:

MethodsType
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A choice of (
methodStepOptionalMultiple Times
OR
samplingOptionalMultiple Times
OR
qualityControlOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
ProcedureStepType
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
A choice of (
descriptionOptionalMultiple Times
OR
A choice of (
citationOptionalMultiple Times
OR
protocolOptionalMultiple Times
)
)
instrumentationOptionalMultiple Times
softwareOptionalMultiple Times
subStepOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Simple Type Definitions:

Web Contact: jones@nceas.ucsb.edu