I'm afraid this is a novice question. Having prepared several datasets from MapMate covering nearly 1,000,000 records I feel the need to get this right before continuing.

The first dataset is small to ease me in but method is not automatically assigned a column name. I looked around for clues here and in my own data and see that record type appears to be the correct assignment.

The issue I need help on is that when a survey has to be selected in the import process I also have to assign a sampling method. This list appears to be the same list as record type! I note that I cannot seem to find in the database any reference to sample method.

I understand that this is at least in part due to the importation of data from Recorder 3 but I believe that it is counter productive to call something sample method in the import wizard and label it Type in the sample general tab it certainly doesn't give a sense of confidence in something that is 10yrs old.

I also have the problem that sample method seems weird when importing, as one does not know a method for say 10,000 records from many genera. So you end up putting in a method say various and therefore the need for this mandatory field seems like a hangover from someone believing their view of data was the only one possible. Even when dealing with bats as I am in this instance how many methods might be used for the several thousand records. So I've had to create the method Bat recording. Having said that I think various may be the better for what seems such a meaningless column since at least everyone will then know it doesn't really mean anything when applied to multiple records from different people at different times using different techniques.

The example in the help file tends to support the view that it has no real value as the example says 'Method devised by x for y'. In which case there is no record of any real method and if you don't know x or their method it could/ would be just as useful to say various. Presumably in this case their may be a document that describes this methodology but since it cannot be referred to... but at least you can have an icon to represent it so that makes up for it :)

I also note that the help says for Record Type; Note that this is distinct from the sampling method
So I guess no one knew why it was needed just that it should be mandatory.

I guess if you make something mandatory you'd better be sure it can be filled sensibly, in this case it's not true and as the record can have the specific method under type associated with it does seem redundant.

No doubt there are as many other views as the methods and types we are all entering!