# Module Documentation: eml-methods | Back to EML Contents

### The eml-methods module - Methodological information for resources

The eml-methods module describes the methods followed in the creation of the dataset, including description of field, laboratory and processing steps, sampling methods and units, quality control procedures. The eml-methods module is used to describe the actual procedures that are used in the creation or the subsequent processing of a dataset. Likewise, eml-methods is used to describe processes that have been used to define / improve the quality of a data file, or to identify potential problems with the data file. Note that the eml-protocol module is intended to be used to document a prescribed procedure, whereas the eml-method module is used to describe procedures that were actually performed. The distinction is that the use of the term "protocol" is used in the "prescriptive" sense, and the term "method" is used in the "descriptive" sense. This distinction allows managers to build a protocol library of well-known, established protocols (procedures), but also document what procedure was truly performed in relation to the established protocol. The method may have diverged from the protocol purposefully, or perhaps incidentally, but the procedural lineage is still preserved and understandable.

## Module details

Recommended Usage: | All datasets
Stand-alone: | no
Imports: | eml-documentation, eml-dataset, eml-resource, eml-software, eml-protocol, eml-party, eml-text, eml-coverage, eml-literature
Imported By: |
View an image of the schema: | eml-methods image

## Element Definitions:
#### methods | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: MethodsType
#### methodStep | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Elements: | Use: | How many:

Derived from: ProcedureStepType (by xs:extension)

A sequence of (
dataSource | optional | unbounded
)
| The methodStep field allows for repeated sets of elements that document a series of procedures followed to produce a data object. These include text descriptions of the procedures, relevant literature, software, instrumentation, source data and any quality control measures taken. Example(s): Please see the examples for the sub-fields.
#### dataSource | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: ds:DatasetType
| A source of data used by this methodStep.
#### sampling | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Elements: | Use: | How many:
A sequence of (
studyExtent | required |
samplingDescription | required |
spatialSamplingUnits | optional |
citation | optional | unbounded
)
| Description of sampling procedures including the geographic, temporal and taxonomic coverage of the study. See individual elements for more detailed descriptions.
#### studyExtent | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Elements: | Use: | How many:
A choice of (
coverage | required |
OR
description | required |
)
| The field studyExtent represents both a specific sampling area and the sampling frequency (temporal boundaries, frequency of occurrence). The geographic studyExtent is usually a surrogate (representative area of) for the larger area documented in the "studyAreaDescription". The studyExtent can be entered either in non-structured textual form or using the structure of the coverage element.
#### coverage | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: cov:Coverage
| The field studyExtent represents both a specific sampling area and the sampling frequency (temporal boundaries, frequency of occurrence). The geographic studyExtent is usually a surrogate (representative area of) for the larger area documented in the "studyAreaDescription". The studyExtent can be entered either in non-structured textual form or using the structure of the coverage element. See eml-coverage for more information.
#### description | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
| The coverage field allows for a textual description of the specific sampling area, the sampling frequency (temporal boundaries, frequency of occurrence), and groups of living organisms sampled (taxonomic coverage). Example(s): The study was conducted on the North Platte River, starting 6 miles downstream and ending 9 miles downstream of the route 132 bridge in Evanston, ND.
#### samplingDescription | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
| The samplingDescription field allows for a text-based/human readable description of the sampling procedures used in the research project. The content of this element would be similar to a description of sampling procedures found in the methods section of a journal article.
#### spatialSamplingUnits | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Elements: | Use: | How many:
A choice of (
referencedEntityId | required |
OR
coverage | required |
)
| A spatial sampling unit describes the specific geographic areas sampled. In the case of a study in which the measurements from several disbursed point collection devices are aggregated, then the sampling unit would be the area of that aggregation. Spatial sampling units can either be described by filling out the structured coverage element or by reference to the values in a data table (usually a GIS layer) Example(s): If a researcher places a single light source at a specific point in a research location in order to attract insects to derive an estimate of the insect population, then the sampling unit is the area illuminated by the light source (in actual practice there might be multiple sampling units in this case since different species have different attraction rates). The bounding box of a specific 3-meter square plot. The location of a weather station.
#### referencedEntityId | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
| A value of a referencedEntityId element is a reference to the identifier of the entity module that provides the metadata for a data table (RDBMS, GIS or ascii text) that has the actual spatial sampling unit values. The referencedEntityId field is an indirect pointer to the actual values. The referencedEntityId can be thought of as a foreign key in a relational database. Example(s): x
#### coverage | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: cov:GeographicCoverage
| Structured description of each sampling unit location
#### citation | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: cit:CitationType
| The citation field allows to either reference a literature resource or enter structured literature information
#### qualityControl | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: ProcedureStepType
| The qualityControl field provides a location for the description of actions taken to either control or assess the quality of data resulting from the associated method step. A quality control description should identify a quality goal and describe prescriptive steps taken to ensure that the data meet those standards and/or postscriptive steps taken to assess the extent to which they are met. A quality control statement is associated with the methodStep that could have affected the targeted quality goal.
#### description | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
| The description field allows for repeated text that describes the methodology for a project, experiment, or particular data table or to describe the steps taken to control or assure the quality of the data. Likewise, a literature citation may be provided that describes the methodology that was employed. Or the information my be provided by either referencing a protocol resource or entering the structured protocol information Example(s): 1.Collect tissues from algae of interest. a. We are currently collecting Egregia menziezii, Mazzaella splendens, M. flaccida, Hedophyllum sessile, Postelsia palmaeformis and Fucus gardneri.We stopped collecting Neorhodomela larix and Odonthalia floccosa because they can be heavily fouled and we feared that would skew the results. b. We collect a 7-10 cm blade or branch from each plant. For Egregia, try to sample small, young plants or take the base of the blade. For Postelsia, take a few of the blades. The other plants are small enough so a whole blade can be taken.
#### citation | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: cit:CitationType
| The citation field allows to either reference a literature resource or enter structured literature information
#### protocol | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: pro:ProtocolType
| The protocol field is used to either reference a protocol resource or describe methods and identify the processes that have been used to define / improve the quality of a data file, also used to identify potential problems with the data file.
#### instrumentation | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: res:NonEmptyStringType
| The Instrumentation field allows the description of any instruments used in the data collection or quality control and quality assurance. The description should include vendor, model number, optional equipment, etc. Example(s): LACHAT analyzer, model XYX.
#### software | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: sw:SoftwareType
| The software element allows reference to any software used to process data.
#### subStep | This element has no default value.
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Type: ProcedureStepType
| This fields allows the nesting of additional method steps within this step. This is useful for hierarchical method descriptions.
## Complex Type Definitions:
#### MethodsType |
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Elements: | Use: | How many:
A sequence of (
methodStep | required | unbounded
sampling | optional |
qualityControl | optional | unbounded
)
#### ProcedureStepType |
Content of this field: | Description of this field:
Elements: | Use: | How many:
A sequence of (
A sequence of (
description | required |
A choice of (
citation | required |
OR
protocol | required |
)
)
instrumentation | optional | unbounded
software | optional | unbounded
subStep | optional | unbounded
)

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