Title
A name given to the resource.
Typically, a Title will be a name by which the resource is
formally known.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the content
of the resource.
Examples of a Creator include a person, an organisation,
or a service. Typically, the name of a Creator should
be used to indicate the entity.
Subject and Keywords
The topic of the content of the resource.
Typically, a Subject will be expressed as keywords,
key phrases or classification codes that describe a topic
of the resource. Recommended best practice is to select
a value from a controlled vocabulary or formal
classification scheme.
Description
An account of the content of the resource.
Description may include but is not limited to: an abstract,
table of contents, reference to a graphical representation
of content or a free-text account of the content.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Examples of a Publisher include a person, an organisation,
or a service.
Typically, the name of a Publisher should be used to
indicate the entity.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the
content of the resource.
Examples of a Contributor include a person, an
organisation, or a service. Typically, the name of a
Contributor should be used to indicate the entity.
Date
A date associated with an event in the life cycle of the
resource.
Typically, Date will be associated with the creation or
availability of the resource. Recommended best practice
for encoding the date value is defined in a profile of
ISO 8601 [W3CDTF] and follows the YYYY-MM-DD format.
Resource Type
The nature or genre of the content of the resource.
Type includes terms describing general categories, functions,
genres, or aggregation levels for content. Recommended best
practice is to select a value from a controlled vocabulary
(for example, the DCMI Type Vocabulary [DCMITYPE]). To
describe the physical or digital manifestation of the
resource, use the Format element.
Format
The physical or digital manifestation of the resource.
Typically, Format may include the media-type or dimensions of
the resource. Format may be used to determine the software,
hardware or other equipment needed to display or operate the
resource. Examples of dimensions include size and duration.
Recommended best practice is to select a value from a
controlled vocabulary (for example, the list of Internet Media
Types [MIME] defining computer media formats).
Resource Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context.
Recommended best practice is to identify the resource by means
of a string or number conforming to a formal identification
system.
Example formal identification systems include the Uniform
Resource Identifier (URI) (including the Uniform Resource
Locator (URL)), the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and the
International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
Source
A reference to a resource from which the present resource
is derived.
The present resource may be derived from the Source resource
in whole or in part. Recommended best practice is to reference
the resource by means of a string or number conforming to a
formal identification system.
Language
A language of the intellectual content of the resource.
Recommended best practice is to use RFC 3066 [RFC3066],
which, in conjunction with ISO 639 [ISO639], defines two-
and three-letter primary language tags with optional
subtags. Examples include "en" or "eng" for English,
"akk" for Akkadian, and "en-GB" for English used in the
United Kingdom.
Relation
A reference to a related resource.
Recommended best practice is to reference the resource by means
of a string or number conforming to a formal identification
system.
Coverage
The extent or scope of the content of the resource.
Coverage will typically include spatial location (a place name
or geographic coordinates), temporal period (a period label,
date, or date range) or jurisdiction (such as a named
administrative entity).
Recommended best practice is to select a value from a
controlled vocabulary (for example, the Thesaurus of Geographic
Names [TGN]) and that, where appropriate, named places or time
periods be used in preference to numeric identifiers such as
sets of coordinates or date ranges.
Rights Management
Information about rights held in and over the resource.
Typically, a Rights element will contain a rights
management statement for the resource, or reference
a service providing such information. Rights information
often encompasses Intellectual Property Rights (IPR),
Copyright, and various Property Rights.
If the Rights element is absent, no assumptions can be made
about the status of these and other rights with respect to
the resource.