DCMI Metadata Terms (original) (raw)

This document is an up-to-date, authoritative specification of all metadata terms maintained by the Dublin Core™ Metadata Initiative. Included are the fifteen terms of the Dublin Core™ Metadata Element Set (also known as "the Dublin Core") plus several dozen properties, classes, datatypes, and vocabulary encoding schemes. The "Dublin Core" plus these extension vocabularies are collectively referred to as "DCMI metadata terms" ("Dublin Core terms" for short). These terms are intended to be used in combination with metadata terms from other, compatible vocabularies in the context of application profiles.

DCMI metadata terms are expressed in RDF vocabularies for use in Linked Data. Creators of non-RDF metadata can use the terms in contexts such as XML, JSON, UML, or relational databases by disregarding both the global identifier and the formal implications of the RDF-specific aspects of term definitions. Such users can take domain, range, subproperty, and subclass relations as usage suggestions and focus on the natural-language text of definitions, usage notes, and examples.

Each term is identified with a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), a global identifier usable in Linked Data. Term URIs resolve to the (DCMI Metadata Terms) document when selected in a browser or, when referenced programmatically by RDF applications, to one of four RDF schemas. The scope of each RDF schema corresponds to a "DCMI namespace", or set of DCMI metadata terms that are identified using a common base URI, as enumerated in the DCMI Namespace Policy. In Linked Data, the URIs for DCMI namespaces are often declared as prefixes in order to make data, queries, and schemas more concise and readable.

Where applicable, the following attributes provide additional information about a term:

Term Name: abstract

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/abstract

Label

Abstract

Definition

A summary of the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: accessRights

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/accessRights

Label

Access Rights

Definition

Information about who access the resource or an indication of its security status.

Comment

Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: accrualMethod

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/accrualMethod

Label

Accrual Method

Definition

The method by which items are added to a collection.

Comment

Recommended practice is to use a value from the Collection Description Accrual Method Vocabulary [DCMI-ACCRUALMETHOD].

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Has Domain

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Collection

Term Name: accrualPeriodicity

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/accrualPeriodicity

Label

Accrual Periodicity

Definition

The frequency with which items are added to a collection.

Comment

Recommended practice is to use a value from the Collection Description Frequency Vocabulary [DCMI-COLLFREQ].

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Has Domain

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Collection

Term Name: accrualPolicy

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/accrualPolicy

Label

Accrual Policy

Definition

The policy governing the addition of items to a collection.

Comment

Recommended practice is to use a value from the Collection Description Accrual Policy Vocabulary [DCMI-ACCRUALPOLICY].

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Has Domain

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Collection

Term Name: alternative

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/alternative

Label

Alternative Title

Definition

An alternative name for the resource.

Comment

The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: audience

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/audience

Label

Audience

Definition

A class of agents for whom the resource is intended or useful.

Comment

Recommended practice is to use this property with non-literal values from a vocabulary of audience types.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Term Name: available

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/available

Label

Date Available

Definition

Date that the resource became or will become available.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: bibliographicCitation

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/bibliographicCitation

Label

Bibliographic Citation

Definition

A bibliographic reference for the resource.

Comment

Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: conformsTo

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/conformsTo

Label

Conforms To

Definition

An established standard to which the described resource conforms.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: contributor

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/contributor

Label

Contributor

Definition

An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource.

Comment

The guidelines for using names of persons or organizations as creators apply to contributors.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: coverage

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/coverage

Label

Coverage

Definition

The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, spatial applicability of the resource, or jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant.

Comment

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]. 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.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: created

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/created

Label

Date Created

Definition

Date of creation of the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: creator

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/creator

Label

Creator

Definition

An entity responsible for making the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Equivalent Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: date

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/date

Label

Date

Definition

A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource.

Comment

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] or a published profile of the ISO standard, such as the W3C Note on Date and Time Formats [W3CDTF] or the Extended Date/Time Format Specification [EDTF]. 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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: dateAccepted

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/dateAccepted

Label

Date Accepted

Definition

Date of acceptance of the resource.

Comment

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).

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: dateCopyrighted

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/dateCopyrighted

Label

Date Copyrighted

Definition

Date of copyright of the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: dateSubmitted

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/dateSubmitted

Label

Date Submitted

Definition

Date of submission of the resource.

Comment

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).

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: description

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/description

Label

Description

Definition

An account of the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: educationLevel

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/educationLevel

Label

Audience Education Level

Definition

A class of agents, defined in terms of progression through an educational or training context, for which the described resource is intended.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: extent

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/extent

Label

Extent

Definition

The size or duration of the resource.

Comment

Recommended practice is to specify the file size in megabytes and duration in ISO 8601 format.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: format

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/format

Label

Format

Definition

The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource.

Comment

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]. Examples of dimensions include size and duration.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: hasFormat

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasFormat

Label

Has Format

Definition

A related resource that is substantially the same as the pre-existing described resource, but in another format.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Format Of.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: hasPart

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasPart

Label

Has Part

Definition

A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Part Of.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: hasVersion

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion

Label

Has Version

Definition

A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: identifier

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/identifier

Label

Identifier

Definition

An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: instructionalMethod

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/instructionalMethod

Label

Instructional Method

Definition

A process, used to engender knowledge, attitudes and skills, that the described resource is designed to support.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Term Name: isFormatOf

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/isFormatOf

Label

Is Format Of

Definition

A pre-existing related resource that is substantially the same as the described resource, but in another format.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Has Format.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: isPartOf

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/isPartOf

Label

Is Part Of

Definition

A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Has Part.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: isReferencedBy

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/isReferencedBy

Label

Is Referenced By

Definition

A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of References.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: isReplacedBy

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/isReplacedBy

Label

Is Replaced By

Definition

A related resource that supplants, displaces, or supersedes the described resource.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Replaces.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: isRequiredBy

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/isRequiredBy

Label

Is Required By

Definition

A related resource that requires the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Requires.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: issued

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/issued

Label

Date Issued

Definition

Date of formal issuance of the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: isVersionOf

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/isVersionOf

Label

Is Version Of

Definition

A related resource of which the described resource is a version, edition, or adaptation.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: language

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/language

Label

Language

Definition

A language of the resource.

Comment

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] language tag.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: license

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/license

Label

License

Definition

A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: mediator

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/mediator

Label

Mediator

Definition

An entity that mediates access to the resource.

Comment

In an educational context, a mediator might be a parent, teacher, teaching assistant, or care-giver.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: medium

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/medium

Label

Medium

Definition

The material or physical carrier of the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Domain Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: modified

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/modified

Label

Date Modified

Definition

Date on which the resource was changed.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: provenance

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/provenance

Label

Provenance

Definition

A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation.

Comment

The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Term Name: publisher

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/publisher

Label

Publisher

Definition

An entity responsible for making the resource available.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: references

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/references

Label

References

Definition

A related resource that is referenced, cited, or otherwise pointed to by the described resource.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Referenced By.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: relation

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/relation

Label

Relation

Definition

A related resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: replaces

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/replaces

Label

Replaces

Definition

A related resource that is supplanted, displaced, or superseded by the described resource.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Replaced By.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: requires

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/requires

Label

Requires

Definition

A related resource that is required by the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence.

Comment

This property is intended to be used with non-literal values. This property is an inverse property of Is Required By.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: rights

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/rights

Label

Rights

Definition

Information about rights held in and over the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: rightsHolder

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/rightsHolder

Label

Rights Holder

Definition

A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Term Name: source

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/source

Label

Source

Definition

A related resource from which the described resource is derived.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: spatial

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/spatial

Label

Spatial Coverage

Definition

Spatial characteristics of the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: subject

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/subject

Label

Subject

Definition

A topic of the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: tableOfContents

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/tableOfContents

Label

Table Of Contents

Definition

A list of subunits of the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: temporal

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/temporal

Label

Temporal Coverage

Definition

Temporal characteristics of the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Range Includes

Subproperty of

Term Name: title

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/title

Label

Title

Definition

A name given to the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: type

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/type

Label

Type

Definition

The nature or genre of the resource.

Comment

Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the DCMI Type Vocabulary [DCMI-TYPE]. To describe the file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource, use the property Format.

Type of Term

Property

Subproperty of

Term Name: valid

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/valid

Label

Date Valid

Definition

Date (often a range) of validity of a resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Has Range

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Literal

Subproperty of

Term Name: contributor

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/contributor

Label

Contributor

Definition

An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: coverage

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/coverage

Label

Coverage

Definition

The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, spatial applicability of the resource, or jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant.

Comment

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]. Where appropriate, named places or time periods may be used in preference to numeric identifiers such as sets of coordinates or date ranges.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: creator

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/creator

Label

Creator

Definition

An entity primarily responsible for making the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: date

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/date

Label

Date

Definition

A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource.

Comment

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] or a published profile of the ISO standard, such as the W3C Note on Date and Time Formats [W3CDTF] or the Extended Date/Time Format Specification [EDTF]. 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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: description

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/description

Label

Description

Definition

An account of the resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: format

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/format

Label

Format

Definition

The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource.

Comment

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].

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: identifier

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/identifier

Label

Identifier

Definition

An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context.

Comment

Recommended practice is to identify the resource by means of a string conforming to an identification system.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: language

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/language

Label

Language

Definition

A language of the resource.

Comment

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] language tag.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: publisher

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/publisher

Label

Publisher

Definition

An entity responsible for making the resource available.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: relation

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/relation

Label

Relation

Definition

A related resource.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: rights

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/rights

Label

Rights

Definition

Information about rights held in and over the resource.

Comment

Typically, rights information includes a statement about various property rights associated with the resource, including intellectual property rights.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: source

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/source

Label

Source

Definition

A related resource from which the described resource is derived.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: subject

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/subject

Label

Subject

Definition

The topic of the resource.

Comment

Typically, the subject will be represented using keywords, key phrases, or classification codes. Recommended best practice is to use a controlled vocabulary.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: title

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/title

Label

Title

Definition

A name given to the resource.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: type

URI

http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/type

Label

Type

Definition

The nature or genre of the resource.

Comment

Recommended practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the DCMI Type Vocabulary [DCMI-TYPE]. To describe the file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource, use the Format element.

Type of Term

Property

Note

A second property with the same name as this property has been declared in the dcterms: namespace. See the Introduction to the document DCMI Metadata Terms for an explanation.

Term Name: Agent

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/Agent

Label

Agent

Definition

A resource that acts or has the power to act.

Type of Term

Class

Instance Of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/AgentClass

Term Name: AgentClass

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/AgentClass

Label

Agent Class

Definition

A group of agents.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Class

Term Name: BibliographicResource

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/BibliographicResource

Label

Bibliographic Resource

Definition

A book, article, or other documentary resource.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: FileFormat

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/FileFormat

Label

File Format

Definition

A digital resource format.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MediaType

Term Name: Frequency

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/Frequency

Label

Frequency

Definition

A rate at which something recurs.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: Jurisdiction

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/Jurisdiction

Label

Jurisdiction

Definition

The extent or range of judicial, law enforcement, or other authority.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/LocationPeriodOrJurisdiction

Term Name: LicenseDocument

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/LicenseDocument

Label

License Document

Definition

A legal document giving official permission to do something with a resource.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/RightsStatement

Term Name: LinguisticSystem

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/LinguisticSystem

Label

Linguistic System

Definition

A system of signs, symbols, sounds, gestures, or rules used in communication.

Comment

Written, spoken, sign, and computer languages are linguistic systems.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: Location

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/Location

Label

Location

Definition

A spatial region or named place.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/LocationPeriodOrJurisdiction

Term Name: LocationPeriodOrJurisdiction

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/LocationPeriodOrJurisdiction

Label

Location, Period, or Jurisdiction

Definition

A location, period of time, or jurisdiction.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: MediaType

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MediaType

Label

Media Type

Definition

A file format or physical medium.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MediaTypeOrExtent

Term Name: MediaTypeOrExtent

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MediaTypeOrExtent

Label

Media Type or Extent

Definition

A media type or extent.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: MethodOfAccrual

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MethodOfAccrual

Label

Method of Accrual

Definition

A method by which resources are added to a collection.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: MethodOfInstruction

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MethodOfInstruction

Label

Method of Instruction

Definition

A process that is used to engender knowledge, attitudes, and skills.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: PeriodOfTime

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/PeriodOfTime

Label

Period of Time

Definition

An interval of time that is named or defined by its start and end dates.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/LocationPeriodOrJurisdiction

Term Name: PhysicalMedium

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/PhysicalMedium

Label

Physical Medium

Definition

A physical material or carrier.

Comment

Examples include paper, canvas, or DVD.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MediaType

Term Name: PhysicalResource

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/PhysicalResource

Label

Physical Resource

Definition

A material thing.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: Policy

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/Policy

Label

Policy

Definition

A plan or course of action by an authority, intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: ProvenanceStatement

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/ProvenanceStatement

Label

Provenance Statement

Definition

Any changes in ownership and custody of a resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: RightsStatement

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/RightsStatement

Label

Rights Statement

Definition

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.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: SizeOrDuration

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/SizeOrDuration

Label

Size or Duration

Definition

A dimension or extent, or a time taken to play or execute.

Comment

Examples include a number of pages, a specification of length, width, and breadth, or a period in hours, minutes, and seconds.

Type of Term

Class

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/terms/MediaTypeOrExtent

Term Name: Standard

URI

http://purl.org/dc/terms/Standard

Label

Standard

Definition

A reference point against which other things can be evaluated or compared.

Type of Term

Class

Term Name: Collection

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Collection

Label

Collection

Definition

An aggregation of resources.

Comment

A collection is described as a group; its parts may also be separately described.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: Dataset

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Dataset

Label

Dataset

Definition

Data encoded in a defined structure.

Comment

Examples include lists, tables, and databases. A dataset may be useful for direct machine processing.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: Event

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Event

Label

Event

Definition

A non-persistent, time-based occurrence.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: Image

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Image

Label

Image

Definition

A visual representation other than text.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: InteractiveResource

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/InteractiveResource

Label

Interactive Resource

Definition

A resource requiring interaction from the user to be understood, executed, or experienced.

Comment

Examples include forms on Web pages, applets, multimedia learning objects, chat services, or virtual reality environments.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: MovingImage

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/MovingImage

Label

Moving Image

Definition

A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Image

Term Name: PhysicalObject

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/PhysicalObject

Label

Physical Object

Definition

An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance.

Comment

Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Image, Text or one of the other types.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: Service

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Service

Label

Service

Definition

A system that provides one or more functions.

Comment

Examples include a photocopying service, a banking service, an authentication service, interlibrary loans, a Z39.50 or Web server.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: Software

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Software

Label

Software

Definition

A computer program in source or compiled form.

Comment

Examples include a C source file, MS-Windows .exe executable, or Perl script.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: Sound

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound

Label

Sound

Definition

A resource primarily intended to be heard.

Comment

Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Term Name: StillImage

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage

Label

Still Image

Definition

A static visual representation.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType

Subclass of

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Image

Term Name: Text

URI

http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text

Label

Text

Definition

A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.

Comment

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.

Type of Term

Class

Member Of:

http://purl.org/dc/terms/DCMIType