Metadata From ScienceBase

Follow this workflow if you are creating mdJSON for the first time and already have project or product metadata on ScienceBase.

1. Gather information

Have information about your contacts, projects, and products on hand before you begin creating metadata records. Key information to gather includes project proposals, funding agreements and amounts, project reports, product information, and contact information for individuals and organizations involved in the projects.

2. Open mdEditor

The direct link to mdEditor is https://go.mdeditor.org. Choose the browser you plan to use for mdEditor and bookmark this link.

mdEditor can also be accessed from its homepage at https://www.mdeditor.org/. This site provides some background information and Frequently Asked Questions about mdEditor.

Always hit Refresh in your browser before each work session (and periodically throughout the session) to ensure that you are using the most updated version of mdEditor.

3. Adjust settings

In mdEditor settings, set the SA-specific settings for importing from ScienceBase, Metadata Repositories, and Publishing (See Settings).

4. Create or import contacts

Contacts must be created or uploaded before they can be added to project and product metadata records using the Contacts entry form in mdEditor.

Use the “contacts seed file” that contains pre-filled information and standard naming conventions for all SA regions, common federal agencies, and the SA Network Data Steward. (link to contact seed file here)

5. Import projects

For importing metadata for a project of an existing ScienceBase project, import the ScienceBase record to create a new mdEditor record using the sbJSON Import.

6. Import products

For importing metadata for a product of an existing ScienceBase product record, import the ScienceBase record to create a new mdEditor record using the sbJSON Import.

7. Create or import data dictionaries

If a product record have a need for data dictionaries, create or import one.

8. Complete metadata

Decide on your desired file management approach and complete your metadata accordingly. See the File Management section for options and instructions.

9. Create associations

For projects and/or products, associations can be either associated from a project or associated from a product.

10. Publish your records

From the mdEditor interface, publish the records to ScienceBase.

11. Export your records

Use the Export function to export records of your products, projects, and contacts for backup, transfer, or sharing. You may want to export working backups before publishing depending on your situation, but archival exports should be done after publishing since publishing can alter records, like adding or changing a ScienceBase ID.

12. Review Science Catalog

The SA Science Catalog updates overnight so you should review newly-published records the day after you publish to ScienceBase. This will be one of your best quality control checks.

13. Consult QA/QC resources.

See the QA/QC Fixes page for suggestions about updating your data to check your metadata.