Collecting Information
This page deals with both the embedded subform (part of the main CO form) and the full table. Entering data into the CI subform ties it automatically to the CO you are working with. Entering data into the independent table does not. Using the data table is handy for 'priming the pump' and populating complex info into the database. This way, complex locality, Geography and Collecting Event info can be distilled into a Field Number and given to a database trainee as part of a general data entry task.
The Collecting Information line on the Collection Object form takes information from many different tables and strings it together into a single line. Collecting information, Locality, Geography and the plug-in Geolocate all contribute to the information shown in the field.
Review the primer on relational databases to see how all these sub-forms relate to other tables and 'tie in' to the Collection Object form.
Subform View:
The Field Number is the kingpin to this line of concatenated data. If you don't already have a field number, you should run a separate query to see if there is already an established field number for the Collecting Info you are working with.Once you know the Field number, just type it into the field and either tab out or click the down arrow to view the selections. Choose the entry you are looking for, and you're done!
If you have the collector name and collected date, you can use that info to format a field number and see if it's in the database. and choose from the drop down results. The "-0001" at the end of the results line lets us know there is a single entry for that name/date combo.
Just remember, Locality, Geographic location, Geolocate, Geologic time and lithostrat are all tied to a field number. You must make a new field number if one of these things change.
If the Collecting Information is brand new, you'll have to add the information. To create a new entry, click the on the at the end of the Collecting Info line to launch the subform.
Or, you can start typing the last field number you can remember and hitting tab, the drop-down will let you know where in the number sequence you are. You can also just type 'NPL-00' and tab out if you don't know what number to start with. Notice the last entry, and just add one. Voila! A new Field Number.
(Eventually, this will be 'NPL-0', but hopefully that's a while off!) Select 'Add' to make a new Collecting Info record. Once yo do this, you'll lauch the CI form. Open the next section to see how to proceed.
Form View:
Whichever way you get here, the form is the same and has the same rules. This form has 3 sub-forms nested inside it.
When accessed through the CO form it's a subform with 3 subforms nested into it. Xzibit would be so proud.
The top part of the locality form is a combination of the Locality subform, and some generalized information. These are separated because there are cases where a locality name will be the same, the other information will be different. Instead of creating a new locality each time a collector heads out to that site, or uses a different collecting method, we just tie the unchanging Locality to the more flexible Collecting Information form. We'll dissect the form the order they appear in the above version of the form.
Locality:
First, you'll want to see if the locality is already in the database. Running a quick query on the Locality table, looking for locality names from the County and State will help, especially if you add a noun (ie, 'Caleb's Quarry, Ibex area, courthouse) in the locality name query field. Or, you can use the wildcard *, plus a search term (then hit the drop down arrow) and see what comes up. Just be aware, this method only finds the search term as the first word of the locality name no matter where you put the wildcard icon.
If you need to add a locality, here's a thorough breakdown of the locality form (accessed by clicking the green + button, or selecting the 'Add...' option from the search results)
While just a single line in the Collecting Info form, this is actually a form on to its self, with many subforms inside it. You can access the Locality form via the Collecting Information, or from the Data tab of the Specify. For a refresher on navigating the task bar, click here.
Verbatim Locality:
This is EXACTLY how the locality info is written on the label. Always enter ALL of the verbatim info here. All data not listed in TagSurv's locality name should be placed in brackets. Ex: Shoal Creek, Austin, Travis ???[Travis County, TX, USA 33.000, -100.000, method: geolocate, accuracy: high] All data needs to be moved over!
If you can only read a part of the label, you can add your own information in square brackets [ ]
[illegible] River, Travis Co., TX
unknown locality, Travis County, Texas, USA
With this field, it's important to remember that you are in the Collecting Information form. Remarks that belong here pertain to the entire Collecting Event, not the locality. Information like how elevation, climate, comments about the site quality, and, my personal favorite, the remark that goes along with Field Number NPL1-073331 -'very rare- first found here by me!
A field number is a number assigned to a 'find' in the field. These will sometimes tie into Field Notebooks, so we can point a scanned notebook page right at all of the things that are tied to that number. Notice, I said 'all of the things'. A field Number can have many collection objects associated with it. The core idea here is that a field number applies to a discrete event- the discovery of the object. If the collector moves over 20 feet, and finds more things they would give them different field numbers because the locality is slightly different. It should also be noted that anytime any of the collecting information changes, the field number should change. What I mean here is that, lets say you find 5 fossils at a single site. You pack up 4 of them, then a friend comes and grabs the last one and plunks it into a baggie. That last object would get a new field number because it has a different collector. It's appropiate to give a derivitive number in this case- say, your field # format is the local nickname (LBH=Limb Bone Hill) + grid number (12) + day (05/22/1998). The field number for the one your friend packed could simply be LBH_12_05/22/1998_b.
If there is no Field Number, follow this chart to find how to create one. Remember, the field number is the foundation to the Collecting Info- Locality, Geography, Collector and Paleo Context all pile on this number.
Most of the selections here don't really apply to us. Many are specific to catching fish, not fossils. Unless you know for sure that a specimen was dug (as opposed to simple surface collecting) don't assume its safe to put anything in this field. The selections 'Core', 'Bulk', 'Screening' and 'Dug' are the choices we're mostly using.
Verbatim date is where you record exactly how the date was written by the collector, with no concern for formatting. The other date fields are pre-formatted fields, but if you click the drop down you'll find the options available changing the formats.
This section of the Collecting Info is just below the Locality block. Paleo Context is how Specify 'sets the stage' for each Collection Object. Here we have the method of recording the geological time in which the fossil came from, as well as the rock in which the fossil was preserved.
This is how we record what point in the Geological Time scale the item came from. This field links to up the Chrosostrat 'tree' which orders all the nodes in a nested structure.
To fill out this field, just type the name of the smallest unit. In the above example, 'Norian' is all that is entered, then the drop down is clicked. Specify formats the nested nodes from most specific to least.
Please note, when you have 'Lower Cretaceous", the most specific search term would be "Lower". Sometimes, terms will be said to be lower (or upper, mid..) in the data you have but there is no entry for that in the Chrono tree. In these cases, just use the term and put the more specific data in the remarks.
Each of these nodes has a data form with it that you can look at if you want to know more, but under no circumstances is anyone to add or edit nodes.
Biostratrigraphy is the process of dating rocks using the common fossils they contain. These fossils, usually Ammonites, graptolites and trilobites but can also be microfossils such as pollen or forams. As of the writing of this document, Biostrat is not used. It does not nest into nodes of the Chronostrat tree in an tidy fashion, so until some solution is implemented don't worry about not having this information.
Lithostrat works in a similar fashion to Chronostrat- type the most specific term (most specific= member, followed by Formation then the very general Litho Group). Oftentimes, the rank 'formation' or 'member' is not part of the Litho name.
Please DO NOT edit or add nodes to this tree. If there is a subdivision to a unit that is not part of the tree (say, if the label said "Upper part of Roxton Limestone Member") this is the sort of thing that belongs in the PC remarks. Only select the exact node you are looking for. If you are working from a label that says Gober Chalk, Roxton Limestone member, DO NOT assume it's part of the Austin Group. Look for a Gober Chalk entry without a group designation. Geological units change names from state to state, and are renamed and reclassified pretty often. Questions or requests for help should be put in the Data Entry Issues on the main CO form.
Sometimes, a label or an entry in a spreadsheet will specifically refer to a 'Horizon'. This information belongs here.
Local Series follows a similar line as Horizon. Only fill this in if the label or data source specifically calls something a local series.
There is lots of information that can be said about a geological formation that does not fit in the tree. Predictions about which bed a specimen came from, remarks about the depositional environment- these sorts of things would go here. Also, any extra Chronostrat data that is not in the tree- specific data about early or late divisions of a stage/age, for example.
The collectors sub form links up to the all the people listed in the Agent table. To add a collector's name to the form, just hit the green plus sign next to the subform title.
This will launch the Agent search window. Just type the last name of the collector the the field, and hit the drop down arrow (or tab). In the resulting drop down, select the persons name and click 'accept'.
You can add more than one collector simply by repeating this step.
Attachments such as photographs from the field trip, drawings of the strat columns and other pale-context specific drawings or photos go here.
Attaching images is easy, just click the attachment button, change the view to 'grid' then drag all attachments into the window.