May 2008 1

Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) 

Essential Metadata Elements 

The following is a set of recommended metadata elements that can be used to as a boilerplate for the 

development of organizational metadata and templates. Users are strongly encouraged to consider 

the following as a starting place for template development and not a solution to minimizing the 

standard. The set represents an expansion to the purely mandatory elements specified by the 

CSDGM. The set is best applied to GIS data and imagery maintained in standard horizontal 

coordinate systems. For more specialized data and data maintained in vertical and local horizontal 

coordinate systems, additional metadata elements become essential. For more information about 

CSDGM element definitions and domains see the following documents located at the FGDC Metadata 

Publication website, http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/metadata-publications-list

 Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata Workbook, Vers. 2.0 

 Metadata Quick Guide 

Legend: 

bold text = CSDGM mandatory element 

plain text = CSDGM mandatory if applicable (MIA) element

italicized text = CSDGM optional element 

stylized text = use of element is conditional 

Section One: Identification 

Originator 

Publication_Date 

Title 

Abstract 

Purpose 

Time_Period_of_Content

Currentness_Reference 

Progress 

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency 

West_Bounding_Coordinates 

East_Bounding_Coordinates 

North_Bounding_Coordinates 

South_Bounding_Coordinates 

Theme_Thesaurus 

Theme_Keywords 

Access_Constraints 

Use_Constraints 

Point_of_Contact 

Contact_Organization (preferred) or Contact_Person 

Contact_Position 

Address_Type 

Address 

City 

State_or_Province 

Postal_Code 

Contact_Voice_Telephone 

• If data are available online: 

Online_Linkage 
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Section Two: Data Quality 

Logical_Consistency_Report 

Completeness_Report 

Process_ Description 

Process_Date 

• If source data were used: 

 Source_Originator 

 Source_Publication_Date 

Source_Title 

Source_Online_Linkage 

Source_Scale_Denominator 

Type_of_Source_Media 

Source_Time_Period_of_Content 

Source_Currentness_Reference 

Source_Citation_Abbreviation 

Source_Contribution 

• If data assessments performed: 

Attribute_Accuracy_Report (if applicable) 

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report (if applicable) 

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report (if applicable) 

• If aerial photography or imagery: 

Cloud_Cover 

Section Three: Spatial Data Organization Information

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method 

Section Four: Spatial Reference Information 

Horizontal_Datum 

Ellipsoid_Name 

Semi-Major_Axis 

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio 

Horizontal Coordinate System (compound element) 

If Geographic (Lat/Lon): 

Latitude_Resolution 

Longitude_Resolution 

Geographic_Coordinate_Units 

or

If Planar (projected) data: 

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method 

Abscissa_Resolution 

Ordinate_Resolution 

Planar_Distance_Units 
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If Map Projection: 

Map_Projection_Name 

< projection parameters – vary with Projection > 

or 

 If Grid Coordinate System: 

Grid_Coordinate_System_Name 

< coordinate system parameters - vary with Coordinate System> 

• Additional elements are required for data maintained using: 

Distance_and_Bearing_Representation 

Local_Planar_Horizontal_Coordinate_System 

Local_Horizontal_Coordinate_System 

Vertical_Coordinate_System

Section Five: Entity and Attribute Information 

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview 

and/or 

Entity_and_Attribute_Detailed_Description 

if the data includes a database that is not documented, you are strongly encouraged to 

develop the detailed description 

Section Six: Distribution Information 

Distributor_Contact 

Contact_Organization (preferred) or Contact_Person 

Contact_Position 

Address_Type 

Address 

City 

State_or_Province 

Postal_Code 

Contact_Voice_Telephone

Distribution_Liability

Section Seven: Metadata Reference 

Metadata_Date 

Metadata_Contact 

Contact_Organization or Contact_Person 

Contact_Position 

Address_Type 

Address 

City 

State_or_Province 

Postal_Code 

Contact_Voice_Telephone

Metadata_Standard_Name 

Metadata_Standard_Version