FAIR WISH "FAIR SAMPLES Template"

This template presents the suggested IGSN metadata elements for sample descriptions of different sample types relevant in the context of the FAIR WISH project and shall serve as the basis for batch uploading sample-metadata to the IGSN server (FAIR SAMPLES TEMPLATE). The modular template was developed as an all-in-one solution for the varying use cases, with the ability for users to select only the variables needed for their specific sample type. This template can serve for the description of individual samples and for hierarchical sample structures later during the project (i.e. vegetation plot > soil pit > soil horizon > soil sample).

The FAIR SAMPLES TEMPLATE was developed as Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and will be the source for semi-automated generation of standardised XML files required for the IGSN registration and IGSN landing pages. The development strategy of the template was explicitly followed to meet the practice of researchers who mainly organise their sample descriptions in tables. Furthermore, as often information for 100 and more samples are to be registered, submitting information via bulk uploads is favoured compared to submitting information for each sample individually via a webform. We develop the template for Excel, as this is widely used in the community. It will further be possible to work with the template with Open Source programs, like Libre Office or organise the information as ASCII csv files.

The FAIR SAMPLES TEMPLATE includes a “Guide” which describes all available fields and additionally enables the selection of those variables which are necessary to describe one’s sample data. For this deliverable, we provide the full metadata schema, including the metadata fields and (sub)properties required for the IGSN registration schema (that will be provided by the allocating agent) and metadata fields that can be derived automatically and do not need to be provided by the users (e.g. the ROR identifier that will be included via an API). In addition, we adjusted the field names for the user template [column "Variable (Column name)" in the “Guide”] so that they are understandable by researchers and more intuitive than the original metadata field names in the IGSN metadata schema.

The template will be updated on a regular basis.

Version history:

(10 January 2023) publication of the first version 1.0

(30 April 2023) metadata update: change of title and exchange of first and second authors

(27 December 2023) publication of version 2.0, changelog available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10436290

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FAIR WISH is a joint project between the Helmholtz Centres GFZ, AWI and Hereon. It was was funded 2022-2023 by the Initiative and Networking Fund of the Helmholtz Association within the HMC Project Cohorte 2020 of the Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration Platform HMC.