The ISO metadata standards include many elements that are identical for many of the metadata records produced by a particular group. These boilerplate elements can be defined in templates that can be used to start metadata records being created by members of those groups. Useful boilerplate might include these elements:

File Identifier:

<gmd:fileIdentifier>
  <gco:CharacterString>namespace:identifier</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:fileIdentifier>
 

Note: ISO 19115-1 replaces the CharacterString element with an MD_Identifier object. 

Metadata and Resource Language:

<gmd:language>
  <gmd:LanguageCode codeList="http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php" codeListValue="eng">eng</gmd:LanguageCode>
</gmd:language>

 

Note: ISO 19115-1 replaces the LanguageCode element with the PT_Locale object, which contains fields for documenting the  language, country, and character set codes.

Character Set:

<gmd:characterSet>
  <gmd:MD_CharacterSetCode
    codeList="http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#MD_CharacterSetCode"
    codeListValue="utf8">utf8</gmd:MD_CharacterSetCode>
</gmd:characterSet>

 

Note: ISO 19115-1 groups the CharacterSetCode with the LanguageCode, and CountryCode  in the PT_Locale object.

Hierarchy Level:

<gmd:hierarchyLevel>
  <gmd:MD_ScopeCode codeList="http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#MD_ScopeCode"
    codeListValue="dataset">dataset</gmd:MD_ScopeCode>
</gmd:hierarchyLevel>

Metadata Date:

<gmd:dateStamp>
  <gco:Date>YYYY-MM-DD</gco:Date>
</gmd:dateStamp>

Metadata Standard Name and Version:

<gmd:metadataStandardName>
  <gco:CharacterString>ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and
    gridded data</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:metadataStandardName>
<gmd:metadataStandardVersion>
  <gco:CharacterString>ISO 19115-2:2009(E)</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:metadataStandardVersion>

Reference System Information:

Many global environmental datasets use a simple latitude/longitude reference system referred to as WGS 84 or EPSG:4326. This gmd:referenceSystemInfo describes that reference system as a RS_Identifier with a code and an authority of the European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG).

<gmd:referenceSystemInfo>
    <gmd:MD_ReferenceSystem>
        <gmd:referenceSystemIdentifier>
            <gmd:RS_Identifier>
                <gmd:authority>
                    <gmd:CI_Citation>
                        <gmd:title>
                            <gco:CharacterString>European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) Geodetic Parameter Registry</gco:CharacterString>
                        </gmd:title>
                        <gmd:date>
                            <gmd:CI_Date>
                                <gmd:date>
                                    <gco:Date>2008-11-12</gco:Date>
                                </gmd:date>
                                <gmd:dateType>
                                    <gmd:CI_DateTypeCode codeList="http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_DateTypeCode" codeListValue="publication">publication</gmd:CI_DateTypeCode>
                                </gmd:dateType>
                            </gmd:CI_Date>
                        </gmd:date>
                        <gmd:citedResponsibleParty>
                            <gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty>
                                <gmd:organisationName>
                                    <gco:CharacterString>European Petroleum Survey Group</gco:CharacterString>
                                </gmd:organisationName>
                                <gmd:contactInfo>
                                    <gmd:CI_Contact>
                                        <gmd:onlineResource>
                                            <gmd:CI_OnlineResource>
                                                <gmd:linkage>
                                                    <gmd:URL>http://www.epsg-registry.org/</gmd:URL>
                                                </gmd:linkage>
                                            </gmd:CI_OnlineResource>
                                        </gmd:onlineResource>
                                    </gmd:CI_Contact>
                                </gmd:contactInfo>
                                <gmd:role gco:nilReason="missing"/>
                            </gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty>
                        </gmd:citedResponsibleParty>                            
                    </gmd:CI_Citation>
                </gmd:authority>
                <gmd:code>
                    <gco:CharacterString>urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG:4326</gco:CharacterString>
                </gmd:code>
                <gmd:version>
                    <gco:CharacterString>6.18.3</gco:CharacterString>
                </gmd:version>
            </gmd:RS_Identifier>
        </gmd:referenceSystemIdentifier>
    </gmd:MD_ReferenceSystem>
</gmd:referenceSystemInfo>

Resource and Metadata Constraints:

Many datasets distributed by U.S. Federal Agencies have no restrictions on their use. They do, however, include a standard disclaimer. This disclaimer is added to the boilerplate in the resourceConstraints and metadataConstraints:

<gmd:resourceConstraints> or <gmd:metadataConstraints>
  <gmd:MD_Constraints>
    <gmd:useLimitation>
      <gco:CharacterString>Disclaimer - While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are
          accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume
          liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the
          failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or
          implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.</gco:CharacterString>
    </gmd:useLimitation>
  </gmd:MD_Constraints>
</gmd:resourceConstraints> or </gmd:metadataConstraints>