Digital Data
Digital Data
In some of the same ways as our printed publications, digital publications released by the DGS represent
the results of original professional research and as such will be used by professionals and the public.
However, there are many critical differences between digital publications and traditional printed
publications, data, and Open-File reports. Examples of possible digital publications are GIS-based
map datasets (points, lines, and polygons), and relational database applications containing water
quality, water levels, geophysical logs, and paleontologic data, “geographic albums”
containing georegistered digital images such as maps and aerial photography, and “digital image albums”
containing digital images and other attributes of thin sections, fossils, outcrops. The added value of
these works exists only because of their digital format or as a direct result of author-added digital
manipulation utilities, the added values are not possible to produce in printed format. We recognize
that the types of materials in digital publications will grow as computer technology advances.
A digital publication must pass through a review process that includes peer review. Digital information that has not been through the review process is digital data but not a digital publication.