Resource type for maps

[richard ostler]

Hi group,

I would like to create DOIs for some maps we have but I'm not sure how best to describe the resource type. The maps show treatment plots and other topographic information for agricultural field experiments. The formats vary from pdfs of either digitised hand drawn images or digitally created images to shape files. None of the resourceTypeGeneral options seem to cover maps as a distinct output and (surprisingly to me at least!) the only CASRAI map term is 'heat maps' which isn't appropriate. Does anyone have any suggestions for how best to describe?

thanks

Richard

[Joan Starr]

Hi Richard,
The approach that appears to have become a best practice among DataCite members and clients is to assign a resourceTypeGeneral of dataset and then use the Description property to indicate "map." I have found thousands of maps described this way. The other alternative would be to use PhysicalObject, but this is not what others are doing. Here is a typical example of the common approach:  https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3568926

Perhaps we should consider "map" as an additional resourceType. What do you think?
--Joan Starr
Metadata Working Group Co-Chair

[richard ostler]

Hi Joan,

Thanks for your reply. Yes that's what I was thinking I would do. Having map as an additional resourceType would get my vote!

Richard

[Joan Starr]

OK, I will add this onto the list of discussion items for the Metadata Working Group. Please understand that this is not a guarantee of acceptance.
Regards,
Joan