Common misconceptions about the GCMD
- Adding your data set description to the GCMD
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"It takes too much of my time to write a record." - Using docBUILDER a record can
be written in as little as 10 minutes. There are only 6 required fields in the data set description (also known as a
DIF), so you can include just the basic information and submit it. The GCMD staff
will take care of the rest.
Alternatively, you can email a description to the GCMD staff at GCMD User Support, and we'll write the record for you!
"I'll lose control of my data set if I include it in the GCMD." -
Not at all. The GCMD only contains descriptions
of your data or data service, not the data set itself. You remain in total
control of your data set/service and its dissemination.
"Any established researcher will know where to get data, why should I include mine in the GCMD?" - Established researchers may know where to find
data in their own area of expertise, but what if they are investigating a new specialty or
comparing their research with that of another discipline?
Including your record will not only help those outside your area of research find useful data but will also help graduate students and other researchers find the data in the absence of any established connections.
"I'm not set up to handle the distribution of my data. If I put a record into the GCMD I'll be swamped with requests." -
While it is true the GCMD gets several visitors per month, there are several ways to effectively manage and control your data. If your data is unrestricted, you can place it online. We'll provide a hypertext link directly to the data from the record. If your data have restricted access or an associated cost, you can indicate so in the record. This may discourage unqualified users or commercial data mining entities. You would then be contacted only with serious inquiries.
"My data is not free, therefore I can't include it in the GCMD." -
You can include data sets that have associated cost. One of the data set description record fields under the Distribution group is Distribution fees. The cost of the data can also be included in the Summary.
"My data may not be of good enough quality to include in the GCMD." -
If you are worried about data quality issues, include your concerns under the Quality field of the record description.
"If my data have access and/or use restrictions, can I still include it in the GCMD?" -
Yes, you can. There is both an Access Constraints field and a Use Constraints field in the record description.
"The GCMD is just getting started, I don't want to waste my time with an untested system." -
The GCMD has been around for over 20 years. From the beginning, the GCMD has stayed at the forefront of database technology. The GCMD currently stores information in a relational database, and our programmers have developed several easy-to-use writing tools, including the docBUILDER on-line metadata writing tools.
"This didn't answer my questions/address my concerns." -
If you are still unsure about the GCMD or have any questions regarding its use, please don't hesitate to contact the GCMD staff : GCMD User Support.
- Finding data with the GCMD
"There is no data in the GCMD." -
The GCMD is not a data repository. Although many records provide hypertext links directly to data, the GCMD is a database of descriptions of data sets, not the data sets themselves. We are more like a search engine for data. We'll help you find the right data set, tell you what is included in it and who you need to contact to get the data. If the data set you want is online, we'll even link you directly to it from the record description.
"How can I get results from the GCMD." -
There are several ways to search the GCMD. If you have used the GCMD before or know exactly what you are looking for, you can search by typing your query into the full-text search. If you had no results using the full-text search or are a first time user, the guided interface leads you through a series of choices that will help you find what you seek.
"There must be a cost involved to use the GCMD!" -
No, using the GCMD is completely free with registration only required for creating or modifying descriptions. Anyone with an internet connection can add descriptions to the GCMD free of charge or search through the GCMD database without cost. The GCMD is a public service of NASA.
"This didn't answer my questions/address my concerns." If you are still unsure about the GCMD or have any questions regarding its use, please don't hesitate to contact the GCMD staff by E-mail: GCMD User Support.
