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Metadata describe groups of data having common characteristics.
Two levels of metada exist within the SINP (Natural Heritage Inventory Information System) to describe observation data:
It describes the operational and strategical contexts for a programme or project that leads to the creation of one or more datasets.
Metadata for the acquisition framework give information on, among other things, the objectives of the acquisition programme, on elements put in place, on the context of the acquisition and the actors that are involved.
It's a grouping of data meant to be homogeneous, i.e. a dataset will complrise data having common characteristics, notably on the acquisition protocol used (for example a similar sampling protocol, similar parameters studied, etc.)
Metadata for the dataset will provide information on the collecting process, on the involved actors (producers and data providers), and on the modality used for dissemination of this dataset.
Metadata allow to have information, not only on the consistency of data related to each other, but also to put forward people or entities that have contributed to data acquisition.
They allow a better reusability (fit for purpose reuse), consistent with the intended use.
Metadata dissemination as a catalogue of metadata allows to ease user browsing so as to let them access the most relevant data for their use.
Consult the guide to structure datasets
Consult the standard for metadata
