[Top] [Prev] [Next] [Bottom]

3.5 Completeness

The quality report must include information about selection criteria, definitions used and other relevant mapping rules. For example, geometric thresholds such as minimum area or minimum width must be reported.

In encoding spatial entities, standard geocodes (such as described in the FIPS codes for States, counties, municipalities, and places) must be employed if possible. Deviations from standard definitions and interpretations must be described.

The report on completeness must describe the relationship between the objects represented and the abstract universe of all such objects. In particular, the report must describe the exhaustiveness of a set of features. Exhaustiveness concerns spatial and taxonomic (attribute) properties, both of which can be tested. A test for spatial completeness can be obtained from topological tests for logical consistency described in 3.4.3. Tests for taxonomic completeness operate by comparison of a master list of geocodes to the codes actually appearing in the file. The procedures used for testing and the results must be described in the quality report.