Defining Checks to Ensure High Quality LTER Data Packages

Summary: The “quality” of a data package is a reflection of how well it may be used for a specific purpose. The emerging LTER Network Information System (NIS) is being developed to ingest EML datasets and process them in automated workflows. To do so, a data package must include access to data, complete metadata (defined by Best Practices), and have strong agreement between the metadata and data (i.e., congruence). Tools such as the EML Congruence Checker are being developed for reporting on data packages submitted by individual LTER research sites. This proposed workshop will produce a comprehensive set of checks to assure that LTER data packages meet a standard of high quality, and that can be used by checking software.