README FILE TEMPLATE

Please complete this template ReadMe file for each data package you deposit, and save as a TEXT file named "README_{Metadata/Dataset title}_{Todays date}.txt" (ex. "ReadMe_BeetleData_20080131").  A ReadMe file must be submitted along with the dataset file(s). Multiple ReadMe files may be submitted if it is necessary to document each data file separately.

The outline below should be completed with information relevant to the submitted data package or data file:

Required information:

1. File names, directory structure (for zipped files) and brief description of each file or file type
2. Definitions of acronyms, site abbreviations, or other project-specific designations used in the data file names or documentation files, if applicable
3. Description of the parameters/variables (column headings in the data files) and units of measure for each parameter/variable, including special codes, variable classes, GIS coverage attributes, etc. used in the data files themselves, including codes for missing data values, if applicable:
   * column headings for any tabular data
   * the units of measurement used
   * what symbols are used to record missing data
   * any specialized formats or abbreviations used
   * any additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package
4. Uncertainty, precision, and accuracy of measurements, if known
5. Environmental conditions, if appropriate (e.g., cloud cover, atmospheric influences, etc.)
6. Method(s) for processing data, if data other than raw data are being contributed
7. Standards or calibrations that were used
8. Specialized software (including version number) used to prepare, to analyze and/or needed to read the dataset, if applicable
9. Quality assurance and quality control that have been applied, if applicable
10. Known problems that limit the data's use or other caveats (e.g., uncertainty, sampling problems, blanks, QC samples)
11. Date dataset was last modified 
12. Relationships with any ancillary datasets outside of this dataset, if applicable

Optional information:

13. Methodology for sample treatment and/or analysis, if applicable
14. Example records for each data file (or file type)
15. Files names of other documentation that are being submitted along with the data and that would be helpful to a secondary data user, such as pertinent field notes or other companion files, publications, etc.

NOTE:  Use standardized formats and follow scientific conventions in both your ReadMe file and in your data files:

* Dates: we recommend that you follow the W3C/ISO 8601 date standard, which specifies the international standard notation of YYYYMMDD. EXAMPLES: 20090824 is 24 August 2009. Times can be appended as YYYYMMDDThhmmss; 3 seconds after 1:05 pm on March 18, 2002 is 20020318T130503. Punctuation can be added to improve readability: 2009-08-24 or 2002-03-18T13:05:03.

* Taxonomic, geospatial, geologic names: we recommend using terms from standardized taxonomies and vocabularies. EXAMPLE: Torellia vallonia (the scientific name for the acorn hairysnail; example from IT IS
EXAMPLE: Yardley Village (inhabited place); example from TGN (Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names)