MIDS Element - 5. ObjectType

[hardistyar]

Information Element Name	ObjectType
Modified	2023/12/14
Label	Object Type
Definition	General term to describe the kind of specimen. In combination with SpecimenType - hierarchical; a more specific classification than described by SpecimenType.
Purpose	To enable curators to determine equipment/method/cost of imaging the specimen, to enable researchers to determine equipment/method required for viewing/analysing the specimen, to enable curators/researchers to know in which collection/location within the institution the specimen is held.
Applicable standard(s)/recommendation(s)	It is recommended to use the ontology being developed for the DwC term Preparations.
Examples	Microscope slide, pinned insect, herbarium sheet.
Required (Biological/Geological/Paelaeontological)	Yes (all)
Constraints	Controlled vocabulary. objectType should be set in conjunction with preparationType, as each objectType has specific preparationTypes.
Element specification status	agreed; accepted in specification.
Notes	Broadly, same interpretation as cd:objectType.

[smrgeoinfo]

ObjectType should be scoped to countable things. MaterialType should be scope to mass noun classification.
test: given x, does the question how many x's are there make sense? then its an object
If the question 'how much x is makes sense, then its a material.
how many snails(leaves, rocks, crystals...) did I collect?
how many waters (tissues, dnas...) did I collect?

[emhaston]

Purpose: to provide high level information about whether the specimen is a physical object when it is aggregated with other records such as observations.

[emhaston]

Discussion from TDWG Task Group meeting (5 May 2022)

Highest level classification Type in the circle of preparationType and MaterialType
→ do we need all 3? → 3 are too much for MIDS-1
→ Keep only ObjectType with broader definition?
(some) Type is given for GBIF entries since BasisOfRecord is required
Basis of record https://data-blog.gbif.org/post/living-specimen-to-preserved-specimen-understanding-basis-of-record/
https://gbif.github.io/parsers/apidocs/org/gbif/api/vocabulary/BasisOfRecord.html

[emhaston]

The elements describing the specimens have triggered a lot of discussion. In order to try to simplify this but maintain a workable and logical framework for MIDS, I'm suggesting a possible way forward.

1. Use of a higher level term to delimit the preserved specimens as opposed to observations, etc, which would map to dwc:MaterialSample.
2. To use ObjectType to contain information about the kind of specimen. This would essentially mean moving the information currently in PreparationType in to this element.

I believe that this would be more in line with the CD task group and with the proposed changes GGBN will be making.

Element: ObjectType

Definition: General term to describe the kind of specimen. For example: microscope slide, pinned insect, herbarium sheet.

Mapping: dwc:preparations

Purpose: to enable curators to determine equipment/method/cost of imaging the specimen, to enable researchers to determine equipment/method required for viewing/analysing the specimen, to enable curators/researchers to know in which collection/location within the institution the specimen is held.

Recommendations: to be decided.

Please can people let me know if you agree with this proposal.

[emhaston]

I have created a higher level classification element: #59 MaterialSampleType which can be used to delimit the specimens to which MIDS refers. I believe that this is in line with the TDWG Material-Sample Task group https://github.com/tdwg/material-sample.

[emhaston]

Task Group meeting (2 June 2022)
Notes for this element:

Decision:
To use a higher level term to delimit and define the preserved specimens as opposed to observations, etc, which would map to dwc:MaterialSampleType [proposed]
To use ObjectType to contain information about the kind of specimen. This would essentially mean moving the information currently in PreparationType in to this element.
To include ObjectType in MIDS-1 onwards

[emhaston]

Proposed information for this element

MIDS information element	ObjectType
Definition	General term to describe the kind of specimen. In combination with SpecimenType - hierarchical; a more specific classification than described by SpecimenType. For example: microscope slide, pinned insect, herbarium sheet.
Purpose	To enable curators to determine equipment/method/cost of imaging the specimen, to enable researchers to determine equipment/method required for viewing/analysing the specimen, to enable curators/researchers to know in which collection/location within the institution the specimen is held.
Mapping	Broadly maps to: dwc:preparations, ABCD:kindOfUnit
Applicable standard(s)/recommendation(s)
Element identifier
Required	No
Repeatable	No
Constraints	Controlled vocabulary. objectType should be set in conjunction with preparationType, as each objectType has specific preparationTypes.
Examples	To be added
Element specification status	agreed; accepted in specification. Created following TG mtg no. 7.
Notes	Broadly, same interpretation as cd:objectType.