What types of documentation do you provide with the data?

First, check out the Document Library. This is a rich resource of many types of documents, including overarching science designs, site characterization reports, spatial data, protocols (both from NEON and external labs that NEON contracts work with), data processing documentation (also known as Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents, or ATBDs), and User Guides for observational data products. If you use any of these documents, please cite them as you would with any other publication.

Data packages may contain some of these documents, specific to the data product downloaded. Each data package also may contain a readme file, a machine-readable form of the readme file using the Ecological Metadata Language (EML) format, and a file that describes all of the variables available for the data product. Observational data products include a file that includes the validation rules used when ingesting the data.