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Ocean2k instructions for data compilers

Thank you for helping out with this project! This effort would not be possible without you. Below are instructions to help us use your available time as efficiently as possible, and facilitate assembly of the resulting pieces into the complete Ocean2k metadatabase.

We are going to divide and conquer the paleodata as follows:

- Marine paleodata from the NOAA NCDC WDC-A for Paleoclimatology
- Paleoclimate data from the PANGAEA database

Because of the nature of the organization of the databases and the number of volunteers, it was not possible to assign particular regions or paleodata types in response to requests while simultaneously enabling an efficient and comprehensive database search.  Please accept our apologies; we hope perhaps that you can use this as an opportunity to explore paleodata with which you were previously unfamiliar. Once the metadatabase is established we should then be able to sort by archive, timescale, and other parameters; at this point we may be able to request and utilize your specialist expertise. Thanks in advance.

Step 1: Before you start:

1. Review the instructions sent out on the Ocean2k listserv.

2. See the planning spreadsheet for your particular assignment.

- For WDCA record assignments, see instructions 1(c).
- For PANGAEA record assignments, see instructions 1(d) below.

3. For WDCA assignments:

1. Go to the "Search All Paleoclimatology" at the WDCA (screenshot)
2. Copy and paste the following search string into the search box: (ocean OR coral) NOT tree NOT pollen NOT icecore NOT cave NOT borehole NOT PANGAEA (screenshot)
3. Click on "Perform Search". You should retrieve 678 matches, exactly the number of WDCA records in the spreadsheet and in your search.
4. Change the number of displayed listings to 1000, and click the "Go" button (screenshot) to display all the records we found.
5. Find the record numbers corresponding to your assignment. These are candidate records, in other words they may meet the criteria for inclusion in the Ocean2k metadatabase.
6. Proceed below to Step 2: Building the PAGES Ocean2k metadatabase records.

4. For PANGAEA assignments:

1. Go to the "Search All Paleoclimatology - Advanced Search" at the WDCA (screenshot)
2. For "Archive", choose the "PANGAEA" option, do not enter any other fields (screenshot)
3. Click the "Perform Advanced Search" at bottom of the page. You should retrieve 534 matches, exactly the number of PANGAEA records in the spreadsheet and in your search.
4. Change the number of displayed listings to 1000, and click the "Go" button (screenshot) to display all the records we found.
5. Find the record numbers corresponding to your assignment. These are candidate records, in other words they may meet the criteria for inclusion in the Ocean2k metadatabase.
6. Proceed below to Step 2: Building the PAGES Ocean2k metadatabase records.

Step 2: Building the metadatabase records: 

1. Go to the PAGES Ocean2K webpage and click on Metadatabase on the right-side navigation bar (screenshot).

2. Click on Log in (screenshot), and do so using the username and password given to you (screenshot).

3. Click the Add dataset link (screenshot) to get to the data entry form (screenshot).

4. Now that you are ready to begin metadata harvesting, here is a binary (yes/no) flowchart to help you sort through the candidate datasets you have been assigned to review, according to Ocean2k criteria:

1. Origin: Are the data from a marine archive (coral, speleothem, marine sediment)?
2. Time interval covered: Is at least a portion of the 2K interval covered?
3. Age resolution: Is the minimum average sample resolution at least one observation every 200 years (centennial)?
4. Variable: Is the variable reported a proxy (indirect climate measure, rather than a reconstructed variable) measurement?
5. Citation: Is there a reference in the peer-reviewed literature describing the dataset?
- Some of the metadata we need may be in the paper and not in the electronic database.

5. If the answer to any question in 2d(1-5) is "No", move on to the next candidate data source in your assignment.

6. If the answers to all questions in 2d(1-5) are "Yes":

1. Read the info balloons  for each metadata entry to make sure you understand what information should be entered where.
- Check the Frequently-Asked-Questions list in case the question already has an answer.
- If not, please write the ocean2k listserv with the question and we'll answer to everyone.
2. Fill out all the required fields as best you can determine from the database record.
- Input the information as it appears in "readme" text and/or from the cited publications.
- Important: check that the URL link to the data resource is functional.
- You can edit and correct your entries by clicking the "edit" button at left of the entry (screenshot)
- At this stage, please do not edit entries other than the ones you've been assigned.

Step 3: Signing off:

1. Please email us when you have either completed your assignment or else have exhausted your time. We will update the assignment list and if necessary reassign uncompleted work to another volunteer.

2. Want to do more? Please write to us for another assignment. We may need help with another assignment, or we may need you to help with metadatabase cleanup: elimination of duplicates, quality control by archive type, resolution, addition of key citations, search testing, etc.

3. Are you interested in the synthesis phase of the project?  Please write to us and we will add you to the list of interested parties.