Metadata terms for vocabulary description
An enumerated set of resources.
Vocabulary Encoding Scheme
A suggested class for subjects of this property.
Domain Includes
A relationship between a resource and a vocabulary encoding scheme which indicates that the resource is a member of a set.
Member Of
A suggested class for values of this property.
Range Includes
DCMI Type Vocabulary
A collection is described as a group; its parts may also be separately described.
An aggregation of resources.
Collection
Examples include lists, tables, and databases. A dataset may be useful for direct machine processing.
Data encoded in a defined structure.
Dataset
Metadata for an event provides descriptive information that is the basis for discovery of the purpose, location, duration, and responsible agents associated with an event. Examples include an exhibition, webcast, conference, workshop, open day, performance, battle, trial, wedding, tea party, conflagration.
A non-persistent, time-based occurrence.
Event
Examples include images and photographs of physical objects, paintings, prints, drawings, other images and graphics, animations and moving pictures, film, diagrams, maps, musical notation. Note that Image may include both electronic and physical representations.
A visual representation other than text.
Image
Examples include forms on Web pages, applets, multimedia learning objects, chat services, or virtual reality environments.
A resource requiring interaction from the user to be understood, executed, or experienced.
Interactive Resource
Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Instances of the type Moving Image must also be describable as instances of the broader type Image.
A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession.
Moving Image
Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Image, Text or one of the other types.
An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance.
Physical Object
Examples include a photocopying service, a banking service, an authentication service, interlibrary loans, a Z39.50 or Web server.
A system that provides one or more functions.
Service
Examples include a C source file, MS-Windows .exe executable, or Perl script.
A computer program in source or compiled form.
Software
Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds.
A resource primarily intended to be heard.
Sound
Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Instances of the type Still Image must also be describable as instances of the broader type Image.
A static visual representation.
Still Image
Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Text
Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1
The guidelines for using names of persons or organizations as creators also apply to contributors. Typically, the name of a Contributor should be used to indicate the entity.
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource.
Contributor
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/contributor) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Spatial topic and spatial applicability may be a named place or a location specified by its geographic coordinates. Temporal topic may be a named period, date, or date range. A jurisdiction may be a named administrative entity or a geographic place to which the resource applies. Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names [[TGN](https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/tgn/index.html)]. Where appropriate, named places or time periods may be used in preference to numeric identifiers such as sets of coordinates or date ranges.
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, spatial applicability of the resource, or jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant.
Coverage
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/coverage) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Examples of a Creator include a person, an organization, or a service. Typically, the name of a Creator should be used to indicate the entity.
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource.
Creator
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/creator) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Date may be used to express temporal information at any level of granularity. Recommended practice is to express the date, date/time, or period of time according to ISO 8601-1 [[ISO 8601-1](https://www.iso.org/iso-8601-date-and-time-format.html)] or a published profile of the ISO standard, such as the W3C Note on Date and Time Formats [[W3CDTF](https://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime)] or the Extended Date/Time Format Specification [[EDTF](http://www.loc.gov/standards/datetime/)]. If the full date is unknown, month and year (YYYY-MM) or just year (YYYY) may be used. Date ranges may be specified using ISO 8601 period of time specification in which start and end dates are separated by a '/' (slash) character. Either the start or end date may be missing.
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource.
Date
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/date) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Description may include but is not limited to: an abstract, a table of contents, a graphical representation, or a free-text account of the resource.
An account of the resource.
Description
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/description) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary where available. For example, for file formats one could use the list of Internet Media Types [[MIME](https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/media-types.xhtml)].
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource.
Format
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/format) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Recommended practice is to identify the resource by means of a string conforming to an identification system.
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context.
Identifier
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/identifier) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Recommended practice is to use either a non-literal value representing a language from a controlled vocabulary such as ISO 639-2 or ISO 639-3, or a literal value consisting of an IETF Best Current Practice 47 [[IETF-BCP47](https://tools.ietf.org/html/bcp47)] language tag.
A language of the resource.
Language
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/language) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Examples of a Publisher include a person, an organization, or a service. Typically, the name of a Publisher should be used to indicate the entity.
An entity responsible for making the resource available.
Publisher
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/publisher) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Recommended practice is to identify the related resource by means of a URI. If this is not possible or feasible, a string conforming to a formal identification system may be provided.
A related resource.
Relation
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/relation) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Typically, rights information includes a statement about various property rights associated with the resource, including intellectual property rights.
Information about rights held in and over the resource.
Rights
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/rights) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
The described resource may be derived from the related resource in whole or in part. Recommended best practice is to identify the related resource by means of a string conforming to a formal identification system.
A related resource from which the described resource is derived.
Source
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/source) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Typically, the subject will be represented using keywords, key phrases, or classification codes. Recommended best practice is to use a controlled vocabulary.
The topic of the resource.
Subject
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/subject) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
A name given to the resource.
Title
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/title) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the DCMI Type Vocabulary [[DCMI-TYPE](http://dublincore.org/documents/dcmi-type-vocabulary/)]. To describe the file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource, use the Format element.
The nature or genre of the resource.
Type
A [second property](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/#http://purl.org/dc/terms/type) with the same name as this property has been declared in the [dcterms: namespace](http://purl.org/dc/terms/). See the Introduction to the document [DCMI Metadata Terms](/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/) for an explanation.
DCMI Metadata Terms - other
A resource that acts or has the power to act.
Agent
A group of agents.
Agent Class
A book, article, or other documentary resource.
Bibliographic Resource
The set of regions in space defined by their geographic coordinates according to the DCMI Box Encoding Scheme.
DCMI Box
The set of classes specified by the DCMI Type Vocabulary, used to categorize the nature or genre of the resource.
The set of conceptual resources specified by the Dewey Decimal Classification.
DDC
A digital resource format.
File Format
A rate at which something recurs.
Frequency
The set of media types specified by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority.
IMT
The set of codes listed in ISO 3166-1 for the representation of names of countries.
ISO 3166
The three-letter alphabetic codes listed in ISO639-2 for the representation of names of languages.
ISO 639-2
The set of three-letter codes listed in ISO 639-3 for the representation of names of languages.
ISO 639-3
The extent or range of judicial, law enforcement, or other authority.
Jurisdiction
The set of conceptual resources specified by the Library of Congress Classification.
LCC
The set of labeled concepts specified by the Library of Congress Subject Headings.
LCSH
A legal document giving official permission to do something with a resource.
License Document
Written, spoken, sign, and computer languages are linguistic systems.
A system of signs, symbols, sounds, gestures, or rules used in communication.
Linguistic System
A spatial region or named place.
Location
A location, period of time, or jurisdiction.
Location, Period, or Jurisdiction
The set of labeled concepts specified by the Medical Subject Headings.
MeSH
A file format or physical medium.
Media Type
A media type or extent.
Media Type or Extent
A method by which resources are added to a collection.
Method of Accrual
A process that is used to engender knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
Method of Instruction
The set of conceptual resources specified by the National Library of Medicine Classification.
NLM
The set of time intervals defined by their limits according to the DCMI Period Encoding Scheme.
DCMI Period
An interval of time that is named or defined by its start and end dates.
Period of Time
Examples include paper, canvas, or DVD.
A physical material or carrier.
Physical Medium
A material thing.
Physical Resource
The set of points in space defined by their geographic coordinates according to the DCMI Point Encoding Scheme.
DCMI Point
A plan or course of action by an authority, intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters.
Policy
Any changes in ownership and custody of a resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation.
Provenance Statement
The set of tags, constructed according to RFC 1766, for the identification of languages.
RFC 1766
RFC 3066 has been obsoleted by RFC 4646.
The set of tags constructed according to RFC 3066 for the identification of languages.
RFC 3066
RFC 4646 obsoletes RFC 3066.
The set of tags constructed according to RFC 4646 for the identification of languages.
RFC 4646
RFC 5646 obsoletes RFC 4646.
The set of tags constructed according to RFC 5646 for the identification of languages.
RFC 5646
A statement about the intellectual property rights (IPR) held in or over a resource, a legal document giving official permission to do something with a resource, or a statement about access rights.
Rights Statement
Examples include a number of pages, a specification of length, width, and breadth, or a period in hours, minutes, and seconds.
A dimension or extent, or a time taken to play or execute.
Size or Duration
A reference point against which other things can be evaluated or compared.
Standard
The set of places specified by the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names.
TGN
The set of conceptual resources specified by the Universal Decimal Classification.
UDC
The set of identifiers constructed according to the generic syntax for Uniform Resource Identifiers as specified by the Internet Engineering Task Force.
URI
The set of dates and times constructed according to the W3C Date and Time Formats Specification.
W3C-DTF
A summary of the resource.
Abstract
Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Information about who access the resource or an indication of its security status.
Access Rights
Recommended practice is to use a value from the Collection Description Accrual Method Vocabulary [[DCMI-ACCRUALMETHOD](https://dublincore.org/groups/collections/accrual-method/)].
The method by which items are added to a collection.
Accrual Method
Recommended practice is to use a value from the Collection Description Frequency Vocabulary [[DCMI-COLLFREQ](https://dublincore.org/groups/collections/frequency/)].
The frequency with which items are added to a collection.
Accrual Periodicity
Recommended practice is to use a value from the Collection Description Accrual Policy Vocabulary [[DCMI-ACCRUALPOLICY](https://dublincore.org/groups/collections/accrual-policy/)].
The policy governing the addition of items to a collection.
Accrual Policy
The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
An alternative name for the resource.
Alternative Title
Recommended practice is to use this property with non-literal values from a vocabulary of audience types.
A class of agents for whom the resource is intended or useful.
Audience
Recommended practice is to describe the date, date/time, or period of time as recommended for the property Date, of which this is a subproperty.
Date that the resource became or will become available.
Date Available
Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible.
A bibliographic reference for the resource.
Bibliographic Citation
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Conforms To
The guidelines for using names of persons or organizations as creators apply to contributors.
Spatial topic and spatial applicability may be a named place or a location specified by its geographic coordinates. Temporal topic may be a named period, date, or date range. A jurisdiction may be a named administrative entity or a geographic place to which the resource applies. Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names [[TGN](https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/tgn/index.html)]. Where appropriate, named places or time periods may be used in preference to numeric identifiers such as sets of coordinates or date ranges. Because coverage is so broadly defined, it is preferable to use the more specific subproperties Temporal Coverage and Spatial Coverage.
Date of creation of the resource.
Date Created
Recommended practice is to identify the creator with a URI. If this is not possible or feasible, a literal value that identifies the creator may be provided.
An entity responsible for making the resource.
Recommended practice is to describe the date, date/time, or period of time as recommended for the property Date, of which this is a subproperty. Examples of resources to which a date of acceptance may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal).
Date of acceptance of the resource.
Date Accepted
Typically a year. Recommended practice is to describe the date, date/time, or period of time as recommended for the property Date, of which this is a subproperty.
Date of copyright of the resource.
Date Copyrighted
Recommended practice is to describe the date, date/time, or period of time as recommended for the property Date, of which this is a subproperty. Examples of resources to which a 'Date Submitted' may be relevant include a thesis (submitted to a university department) or an article (submitted to a journal).
Date of submission of the resource.
Date Submitted
A class of agents, defined in terms of progression through an educational or training context, for which the described resource is intended.
Audience Education Level
Recommended practice is to specify the file size in megabytes and duration in ISO 8601 format.
The size or duration of the resource.
Extent
Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary where available. For example, for file formats one could use the list of Internet Media Types [[MIME](https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/media-types.xhtml)]. Examples of dimensions include size and duration.
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Format Of.
A related resource that is substantially the same as the pre-existing described resource, but in another format.
Has Format
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Part Of.
A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource.
Has Part
Changes in version imply substantive changes in content rather than differences in format. This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Version Of.
A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource.
Has Version
Recommended practice is to identify the resource by means of a string conforming to an identification system. Examples include International Standard Book Number (ISBN), Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and Uniform Resource Name (URN). Persistent identifiers should be provided as HTTP URIs.
Instructional Method typically includes ways of presenting instructional materials or conducting instructional activities, patterns of learner-to-learner and learner-to-instructor interactions, and mechanisms by which group and individual levels of learning are measured. Instructional methods include all aspects of the instruction and learning processes from planning and implementation through evaluation and feedback.
A process, used to engender knowledge, attitudes and skills, that the described resource is designed to support.
Instructional Method
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Has Format.
A pre-existing related resource that is substantially the same as the described resource, but in another format.
Is Format Of
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Has Part.
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Is Part Of
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of References.
A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource.
Is Referenced By
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Replaces.
A related resource that supplants, displaces, or supersedes the described resource.
Is Replaced By
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Requires.
A related resource that requires the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence.
Is Required By
Changes in version imply substantive changes in content rather than differences in format. This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Has Version.
A related resource of which the described resource is a version, edition, or adaptation.
Is Version Of
Date of formal issuance of the resource.
Date Issued
Recommended practice is to identify the license document with a URI. If this is not possible or feasible, a literal value that identifies the license may be provided.
A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource.
License
In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver.
An entity that mediates access to the resource.
Mediator
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Medium
Date on which the resource was changed.
Date Modified
The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation.
Provenance
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Referenced By.
A related resource that is referenced, cited, or otherwise pointed to by the described resource.
References
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Replaced By.
A related resource that is supplanted, displaced, or superseded by the described resource.
Replaces
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Required By.
A related resource that is required by the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence.
Requires
Typically, rights information includes a statement about various property rights associated with the resource, including intellectual property rights. Recommended practice is to refer to a rights statement with a URI. If this is not possible or feasible, a literal value (name, label, or short text) may be provided.
Recommended practice is to refer to the rights holder with a URI. If this is not possible or feasible, a literal value that identifies the rights holder may be provided.
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Rights Holder
This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. The described resource may be derived from the related resource in whole or in part. Best practice is to identify the related resource by means of a URI or a string conforming to a formal identification system.
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Spatial Coverage
Recommended practice is to refer to the subject with a URI. If this is not possible or feasible, a literal value that identifies the subject may be provided. Both should preferably refer to a subject in a controlled vocabulary.
A topic of the resource.
A list of subunits of the resource.
Table Of Contents
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Temporal Coverage
Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the DCMI Type Vocabulary [[DCMI-TYPE](http://dublincore.org/documents/dcmi-type-vocabulary/)]. To describe the file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource, use the property Format.
Date (often a range) of validity of a resource.
Date Valid
The Friend of a Friend (FOAF) RDF vocabulary, described using W3C RDF Schema and the Web Ontology Language.
An agent (eg. person, group, software or physical artifact).
A foaf:LabelProperty is any RDF property with texual values that serve as labels.
A project (a collective endeavour of some kind).
Indicates an account held by this agent.
Indicates the name (identifier) associated with this online account.
Indicates a homepage of the service provide for this online account.
A location that something is based near, for some broadly human notion of near.
The birthday of this Agent, represented in mm-dd string form, eg. '12-31'.
A thing depicted in this representation.
A checksum for the DNA of some thing. Joke.
The underlying or 'focal' entity associated with some SKOS-described concept.
An organization funding a project or person.
A textual geekcode for this person, see http://www.geekcode.com/geek.html
The gender of this Agent (typically but not necessarily 'male' or 'female').
An image that can be used to represent some thing (ie. those depictions which are particularly representative of something, eg. one's photo on a homepage).
A page about a topic of interest to this person.
A document that this thing is the primary topic of.
A person known by this person (indicating some level of reciprocated interaction between the parties).
A personal mailbox, ie. an Internet mailbox associated with exactly one owner, the first owner of this mailbox. This is a 'static inverse functional property', in that there is (across time and change) at most one individual that ever has any particular value for foaf:mbox.
The sha1sum of the URI of an Internet mailbox associated with exactly one owner, the first owner of the mailbox.
Indicates the class of individuals that are a member of a Group
A Myers Briggs (MBTI) personality classification.
A short informal nickname characterising an agent (includes login identifiers, IRC and other chat nicknames).
A project this person has previously worked on.
A phone, specified using fully qualified tel: URI scheme (refs: http://www.w3.org/Addressing/schemes.html#tel).
A .plan comment, in the tradition of finger and '.plan' files.
The primary topic of some page or document.
A link to the publications of this person.
A homepage of a school attended by the person.
A string expressing what the user is happy for the general public (normally) to know about their current activity.
A tipjar document for this agent, describing means for payment and reward.
A weblog of some thing (whether person, group, company etc.).
A work info homepage of some person; a page about their work for some organization.
A workplace homepage of some person; the homepage of an organization they work for.