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Getting Started with IPGP Research Collection

The Research Data Repository of the Institut de physique du globe de Paris

This is a "Getting Started" tutorial for the official IPGP Research Collection repository, based on the Dataverse technology.

If you are unfamiliar with the concepts behind a data repository based on Dataverse, you might want to use our Sandbox repository.

Full documentation

To access the full Dataverse documentation, please check the Dataverse User Guide.

Base concepts: Dataverse Collections, Dataset, Files

  • Dataverse Collection: container which aggregates several Datasets or other Dataverse Collections. The whole IPGP Research Collection data repository is a Dataverse Collection on its own, named "IPGP Research Collection".
  • Dataset: coherent set of files (data and/or documents) described by some metadata, like the author's name, a description of the data set, the disciplinary field, the user license, etc. Metadata is always public, while access to files may be restricted.
  • Files: the files that make up a Dataset. The interface allows to preview certain types of files like tabular data or images. Access to files can be public or restricted.

Organization of the IPGP Research Collection repository

The IPGP Research Collection repository is organized into:

  • a main Dataverse Collection (IPGP Research Collection) which hosts Datasets associated with published research articles;
  • sub-Collections for funded research projects (e.g., funded by ANR or ERC), to host Datasets associated with data and publications produced in the frame of the project;
  • sub-Collections for IPGP observatories, to host Datasets associated with data produced by the observatory.

Create an account

An account is essential to be able to upload a Dataset, but it is not necessary to view and download published data.

You will need to have an ORCID identifier in order to create your account and to login to IPGP Research Collection.

Note that the accounts created on IPGP Research Collection Sandbox do not work on IPGP Research Collection: you will need to create a new account using your ORCID identifier.

Starting from the main page of IPGP Research Collection:

  • Click on "Log in" at the top right;
  • Click on the "ORCID" button and follow the instructions;
  • After succesufully logging in to ORCID, you will be redirected back to IPGP Research Collection, where you will be asked to confirm your account creation;
  • Fill up the form:
    • Email: Use your institutional email, e.g.: name@ipgp.fr.
    • Affiliation: Specify your host institution, e.g.: Institut de physique du globe de Paris.
    • Position: Specify your position within your host institution, e.g.: Researcher, Seismology Team
  • Activate your account by clicking on the verification link you will get by email.

⚠️ Please note that, even if your account is created and activated, you cannot create Datasets yet.

In order to be authorized to create a Dataset in a given Dataverse Collection:

  1. go to the main page of the Dataverse Collection (main Collection or sub-Collection) where you want to create a Dataset;
  2. click on the "Contact" button on the upper right;
  3. write a message where you specify:
    • your name and position;
    • a brief description of the data you want to upload (e.g., publication data, research project data, observatory data).

Create a Dataset

To be able to upload Files, you must create a Dataset. This Dataset can contain several files of different types.

To create a new Dataset, go to the main page of the Dataverse Collection (main Collection or sub-Collection) where you want to create a Dataset:

  • click on the "Add Data" button;
  • click on "New Dataset";
  • fill in the metadata using the form;
  • save by clicking on "Save Dataset" (Files can be uploaded later);
  • add additional metadata by clicking on "Edit Dataset --> Metadata" (see note 1 below);
  • upload the Dataset Files by clicking on "Edit Dataset --> Files (upload)" (see note 2 below).

Notes:

  1. When you create a new Dataset, you have to fill in a basic set of metadata fields. After saving your Dataset, you can click on "Edit Dataset --> Metadata" to add more metadata. Do not forget to add Geospatial Metadata if relevant to your Dataset!
  2. If your Files are organised in a folder structure, you can upload a zip archive containing your Files organised: Dataverse will unzip the file and recreate the same folder structure.

At this point, your new Dataset is not yet published and is only visible to you and data curators. Before publishing it, you might want to check the access rights to certain files (see section "Restrict file access" below) and the licencing terms (see section "Dataset Licence" below).

Restrict file access

If you wish to restrict access to certain files (e.g., due to an embargo), you must do so before publishing the Dataset. For that, select the files whose access you want to restrict, then click on the "Edit" button on the upper right side of the file box, and select "Restrict". You will be prompted to add specfic license terms for the restricted files(s) and/or to give user the possibilty to request access to the file(s). For more information on restricted files, please refer to the official documentation.

Select a licence

Any new Dataset is given by default the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0, which is the French official licence for open data.

If you want to change the licence:

  • click on "Edit Dataset" at the top right of the dataset main page;
  • click on "Terms";
  • select a licence from the dropdown menu.

If you have a particular use case, you can specify your custom terms by selecting "Custom Dataset Terms" and filling up the "Terms of Use" field.

The reference licence for public data in France is the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0. This licence is compatible with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. See this page for more information on the French law concerning data and software licences.

The choice of a licence applies only to Files within a Dataset. The Dataset metadata is always distributed by IPGP Research Collection under the terms of the CC0 public domain dedication licence.

Publish a Dataset

To publish your Dataset, be sure that you're on the dataset main page, then click on "Publish Dataset" at the top right.

⚠️ Once the Dataset has been published, you will no longer be able to delete it.

After saving or publishing a Dataset, you can still edit the metadata and associated files. This will create a new version of the Dataset (e.g., 1.1 or 2.0), and the old version will still be accessible.

Create a Dataverse Collection

Dataverse Collections allow to organize several Datasets belonging to the same research project, to the same team or to the same observatory.

The home page of IPGP Research Collection is a Dataverse Collection on its own, named "IPGP Research Collection". This is the main Dataverse Collection which contains all the other Dataverse Collections and Datasets.

A Dataset cannot be contained in several Dataverse Collections at the same time, but it can be referenced (Dataset Linking) in several Dataverse Collections.

⚠️ U️sers do not have by default the right to create Dataverse Collections. If you need to create a Dataverse Collection, please contact the support.

Resources

Resource updated: Wed Nov 22 2023