Data Dictionary Field Guide
From UANotebook
This streamlined version of the Data Dictionary shows the basic metadata -- or "data about the data" (photographs) -- that you should be gathering along with your images. Metadata is important because it tells information about the photographs that they themselves don't specify. For example, street addresses, view orientations, and municipalities may not be apparent from the photographs themselves. This is why we need to collect additional information about the photographs. The information contained in the metadata will help future researchers and/or photographers.
The following aspects are the most important supplementary information that you should collect. Get into the habit of taking accurate field notes. Treat the location as if this was the last time you will ever be there and, thus, you will have to take good notes in order to remember the most important things. Also, ask yourself whether your notes are good enough to lead another researcher back to the location in the future.
A clean spreadsheet into which to enter this information is available here. First, copy and work off of the sample/template. It's important to use that template because it has all the fields -- even if you leave them blank, they need to be there. Also, please don't move columns around.
This guide is also available as a Word document It might be beneficial to print out a copy to take with you into the field in case you need to consult it. At the very least, you should print out a copy of the list of the acceptable terms to use in describing you photographs.
Please ask us questions that arise when you are working in the field. As questions and concerns come up, we will answer them and copy those answers here. This will help guide future research partners. Check the Metadata suggestions file for more detailed answers to these questions.
Data Dictionary -- Field Guide -- based on Data Dictionary draft of 2 May 2005
Item Number
A unique alphanumeric identification string for the item. The Item Number should be the same as its filename. The Item Number should look like
YYYYMMDDABCHHmmss
where it is constructed as follows:
YYYY = year
MM = month (include a 0 in front if month is a single digit)
DD = day (include a 0 in front if day is a single digit)
ABC = photographer's initials: first, middle, last (or first, last if you don't have a middle initial)
HHmmss = time (hour:minute:second) photograph was taken, in 24-hour time
a = for cropped images from one original photograph
(ex: if an original is titled 20061029IG121201,
a close up cropped from that original would be titled
20061029IG121201A
another close up from that same image would be named
20061029IG121201B and so on.)
Check the Contributors list for initials.
Title
This is the name of the item (photo, sound clip, media clip, etc.). It does not have to be unique; for example, 3 images of Smith Tower can all be named Smith Tower.
Date
The date that the item was observed in the landscape: the photograph taken, the sound/video recorded, or the scanned artifact collected. If the item is a scan of an artifact (a poster, for example) then this field should reflect the date that the artifact was collected rather than scanned.
Use: [numeric day] Month [year]
Examples:
29 February 2005 February 2005
Time
The time the item was observed in the landscape. Use 24 hour format.
Example:
14:51
Description
A free text field for describing, in some level of detail, the item. This may be needed to clarify something that isn't visually clear, for example, or to provide additional context. This is meant to supply a rich description of the subject in the item without getting carried away. A limit of 251 words should be sufficient.
Address
The street address upon, in front of, or near which the item of interest is located. If the exact address is unknown, or if the subject spans numerous addresses, record as accurately as possible. Please record in the format appropriate to locale. Thus, for Seattle, the following are acceptable; they are listed in the order of preference/specificity:
4211 University Way NE 4211-4299 University Way NE 4200 block, University Way NE
Do not abbreviate unless abbreviations are the standard.
For rural roadways, include mile marker and direction of travel:
Milepost 251, Interstate 90, Eastbound State Route 520, Eastbound
Sometimes, it may be more appropriate or useful to list cross streets rather than the address. Alternatively, if address is unknown, listing the cross-streets may be the sole manner to establish location. Do not abbreviate (except for directional).
Follow these conventions: North-South street first ("longitude"), followed by E-W street ("latitude"). Use common sense for diagonals -- addresses may give you a hint.
Roosevelt Way NE and NE 50th Street Roosevelt Way NE, north of NE 50th Street
If, as in the case of a photograph, one street is emphasized over another, you can violated the longitude/latitude rule (but try to use an address if possible). For example, you are photographing a street sign that is on NE 50th Street near Roosevelt Way. You can write:
NE 50th Street near Roosevelt Way NE NE 50th Street, east of Roosevelt Way NE
View Orientation
For still images. The view direction from camera's point of view. This field helps the viewer figure out which direction the camera is looking if it is not clear from the context of the photograph. This will be especially useful in wide-out shots (i.e. street scenes) years down the line when the buildings in the photograph are long gone. Enter the compass point direction:
N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SW, SE
Municipality
Use LOC Country – State – City notation. For municipalities in Washington state, the format is:
United States -- Washington (State) -- Seattle United States -- Washington (State) -- [city]
Note the word (State). This portion is necessary in order to differentiate the state from the District of Columbia. For other states, this word is not necessary. Thus, for Chicago, you need only write:
United States -- Illinois -- Chicago
Optional:
For the City of Seattle, a neighborhood name could also be added as a second term for this field. Use the Seattle City Clerk’s Neighborhood Map Atlas:
Here is a [1] list of Seattle neighborhoods. Click on a name to get a map. Try to be as specific as possible.
For example: following the clickable maps down to the most detail, the corner of Broadway and John would be assigned the term
Capitol Hill -- Broadway
If you are unsure, don’t get more specific than past the first -- dash. Thus, in the example above, Capitol Hill would be sufficient.
Format
A description(s) of the agent(s) of communication that is depicted. If using more than one term, separate terms with commas. Do not use more than three (3) terms.
See examples on the Controlled vocabulary page.
Materials
List the substance(s) and material(s) used to create the mark(s) or item(s) depicted. Note that this does not include the materials on which the mark(s) was placed. If using more than one term, separate terms with commas. Do not use more than three (3) terms.
See examples on the Controlled vocabulary page.
Processes
The technique(s) used to create and/or affix a mark(s) onto a surface. If using more than one term, separate terms with commas. Do not use more than three (3) terms.
See examples on the Controlled vocabulary page.
Surfaces
The base(s), or infrastructural physical substrate(s), on which a mark is affixed. This field is broader than Architectural Detail (below) and encompasses forms beyond the architectural. If using more than one term, separate terms with commas. Do not use more than three (3) terms.
See examples on the Controlled vocabulary page.
Architectural Detail
Names the specific part of building being viewed, if applicable. This is useful in order to precisely describe where on a building the photographed item is located (i.e. graffiti painted on the alley side of a building; flyer posted on the front window)
See examples on the Controlled vocabulary page.
Photographer
For still images. The creator of this visual image; the name of person or corporate entity who photographed this item.
last name, first name Dobrowolsky, Tom
Producer
For movies, audio, and other media. The creator of this moving image or media.
last name, first name Dobrowolsky, Tom
Collector
For physical artifacts which will be scanned. The person who collected the artifact represented in this scanned image – NOT the person who scanned it.
last name, first name Dobrowolsky, Tom
Source
This field should be used only if the entry in the Photographer/Producer/Collector field does not represent the original creator of the item. The Source is the name of the artist, firm, or architect associated with the creation of the original artifact. Examples include: the tagger who left the graffiti, author of a poster that was scanned, the architect of the building in a photograph.
Use: last name, first name or name or corporate name.
last name, first name Dobrowolsky, Tom Aerub
Historical Photo
If another repository (UW Special Collections, Mohai, City of Seattle, King County) contains a photograph with this same subject or view, add the link here. For UW Libraries item, state negative number or order number.
Context Photo
If photograph has a corresponding wide-out photograph, add link to that photograph(s). Use Item Number.
Close-up photo
If photograph has a corresponding close-up photograph, add link to that photograph(s). Use Item Number.
