DR-NTU (Data) User Guides and Policies

Without logging in to DR-NTU (Data), users can browse DR-NTU (Data), search for dataverses, datasets, and files, view dataset descriptions and files for published datasets, and subset, analyze and visualize data for published (restricted & not restricted) data files. To view a unpublished dataverse, dataset, or file, a user will need to be given permission from that dataverse’s administrator to access it.

A user can search the dataverses, datasets, and files within a particular dataverse by using the search bar found on a dataverse page. For example, if you are on a school Dataverse page, you can search that specific dataverse’s contents by using the search bar and/or facets displayed on the page.

Basic Search
From the DR-NTU (Data) homepage, you can begin searching with an exact phrase search or entering a search term or query in the search box that says, “Search this dataverse”

Search results features

• Facets: to the left of the search results, there are several facets a user can click on to narrow the number of results displayed.
  • Choosing a facet: to choose a facet, click on the facet to choose it
  • Removing a facet: to remove a facet, click on the X next to a chosen facet in search string above the results OR a chosen facet can be removed by clicking on the X next to it in the facets pane to the left of the results
  • Viewing more or less: the top five results show in each facet, to view more, click on “More...” in the bottom right of a facet. Once you’ve chosen to see more, an option to view less will appear in the bottom left of the facet.
• Result cards: after entering a search term or query, results cards that match your term or query appear underneath the search bar and to the right of the facets.
  • Relevancy of results: each results card shows which metadata fields match the search query or term you entered into the search bar with the matching term or query bolded. If the search term or query was found in the title or name of the dataverse, dataset, or file, the search term or query will be bolded within it.
• Other basic search features:
  • Sorting results: search results can be sorted by name (A-Z or Z-A), newest or oldest, or relevancy of results. The sort button can be found above the search results, in the top right.
  • Bookmarkable URLs: search URLs can be copied and sent to a fellow researcher or can be bookmarked for you to be able to return to at a later time.

Advanced Search
In an advanced search, you can refine your criteria by choosing which Metadata fields to search. You can perform an advanced search on Citation metadata fields as well as domain specific metadata fields depending on the metadata selected for your Dataverse (Social Sciences & Humanities, Geospatial Astronomy & Astrophysics, and Life Sciences). Additionally, you can perform an advanced search for dataverses and files.

To perform an advanced search, click the “Advanced Search” link next to the search bar. There you will have the ability to enter search terms for Dataverses, Dataset Metadata (citation and domain-specific), and file-level metadata. If you are searching for tabular data files you can also search at the variable level for name and label. To find out more about what each field searches, hover over the field name for a detailed description of the field.

Browsing Dataverse
In DR-NTU (Data), browsing happens when a user hasn’t entered a search term or query into the basic search bar. Browsing is the default for a user when they are on the DR-NTU (Data) homepage or a specific dataverse’s page. When browsing, only dataverses and datasets appear in the results list and the results can be sorted by Name (A-Z or Z-A) and by Newest or Oldest.

View Dataverses + Datasets
After performing a search and finding the dataverse or dataset you are looking for, click on the name of the dataverse or dataset or on the thumbnail image to be taken to the page for that dataverse or dataset. Once on a dataverse page, you can view the dataverses, datasets, and files within that dataverse.

Once on a dataset page, you will see the title, citation, description, and several other fields as well as a button to email the dataset contact. Below that information, the files, metadata, and version information for the dataset are available.

View Files
Files in Dataverse each have their own page that can be reached through the search results or through the Files table on their parent dataset’s page. The dataset page and file page offer much the same functionality in terms of viewing and editing files, with a few small exceptions. The file page includes the file’s persistent identifier (DOI or handle), which can be found under the Metadata tab. Also, the file page’s Versions tab gives you a version history that is more focused on the individual file rather than the dataset as a whole.

Cite Data
You can find the citation for the dataset at the top of the dataset page in a blue box. Additionally, there is a Cite Data button that offers the option to download the citation as EndNote XML, RIS Format, or BibTeX Format.

Download Files
Within the Files tab on a dataset page, a user can either Explore tabular data files using TwoRavens, Download All File Formats + Information or individually download the Original File Format, Tab Delimited Format, Variable Metadata, Data File Citation (EndNote XML, RIS Format, or BibTeX Format), or Subset (options appear depending on file format).

To download more than one file at a time, select the files you would like to download and then click the Download button above the files. The selected files will download in zip format.