Goddard Core Descriptive Metadata Element Set
Element Names & Definitions
Revised October 19, 2004

Element Name

Definition

Title

The name of the resource.

Creator

The name of the entity that authored, photographed, presented or otherwise created the resource.

Creator Employee

The name of the employee or person who authored, photographed, presented or otherwise created the resource.

Creator Organizaton

The organization under whose auspices the resource was created.

Subject Organization

The name of an organization that is the topic of the content of the resource.

Subject – Mission/Project

The name of a mission or project that is the topic of the content of the resource.

Subject - Competency

The name of the vocational or technical specialty that is relevant to the content of the resource.

Subject - Instrument

The name of the scientific equipment or platform that is the topic of the content of the resource.

Subject – Business Purpose

The business purpose for which the content of the resource was prepared.

Subject - Industries

The name of an industry sector that is a topic of the content of the resource.

Uncontrolled Subject (Keywords)

Terms describing the topic of the resource that are not controlled (i.e., keywords).

Description

Information useful in evaluating the relevant of the resource to the user’s need. This information may include but is not limited to abstracts, tables of content, reference to a graphic representation of the content or a free-text account of the content.

Publisher Organization

The name of an entity responsible for producing or distributing the resource.

Publisher Code

The organizational code for the entity responsible for producing or distributing the resource.

Date

A date that is relevant to the life cycle of the resource.

Content Type

The genre, resource type or document type of the resource

Format

The technical structure of the resource as indicated by the Mime type.

Persistent Identifier

A unique name for the resource that aids in ensuring persistent location over time based on a persistent identification scheme.

URL

The current Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the resource.

Source

Title of a broader resource or collection within which the resource is found.

Language

The full name of the language in which the resource is presented.

Spatial Coverage

The spatial coordinates for a geographic area to which the content of the resource refers. 

Rights

Formal statement of copyright or access controls that apply to the resource. 

Audience

The group expected to use the resource.