README file template

This page may be saved as a TEXT file named:
 "README_{Metadata/Dataset title}_{Today's date}.txt" or .pdf 
and submitted along with the dataset files. The outline below should be completed with information relevant to the submitted dataset:

Mandatory information:

1. File names, directory structure (for complex datasets), and brief description of each
file or file type:

2. Definitions of acronyms, site abbreviations, or other project-specific designations
used in the data file names or documentation files, if applicable:

3. Definitions of special codes, variable classes, GIS coverage attributes, etc. used in
the data files themselves, including codes for missing data values, if applicable:

4. Description of the parameters/variables (column headings in the data files) and
units of measure for each parameter/variable:

5. Uncertainty, precision, and accuracy of measurements, if known:

6. Environmental conditions, if appropriate (e.g., cloud cover, atmospheric influences,
etc.):

7. Method(s) for processing data, if data other than raw data are being contributed:

8. Standards or calibrations that were used:

9. Specialized software (including version number) used to prepare and/or needed to
read the dataset, if applicable:

10. Quality assurance and quality control that have been applied, if applicable:

11. Known problems that limit the data's use or other caveats (e.g., uncertainty,
sampling problems, blanks, QC samples):

12. Date dataset was last modified:

13. Related or ancillary datasets outside of this dataset, if applicable:

Optional information:

14. Methodology for sample treatment and/or analysis, if applicable:

15. Example records for each data file (or file type):

16. Files names of other documentation that are being submitted along with the data
and that would be helpful to a secondary data user, such as pertinent field notes or
other companion files, publications, etc