Dimensions is a research information system that aims to make it easier to find different types of research-related outputs with a free search that covers more than 100 million publication records.
Now Dimensions have also added research datasets to their free version, integrating more than 1.5 million datasets as a new content type. Datasets are sourced from Figshare.com and include datasets uploaded on Figshare, as well as from other repositories such as Dryad, Zenodo, Pangaea and Figshare hosted repositories including the National Institutes of Health.
Dimensions offers a simple search – see the search box at the very top of the screen. For example, for publications you can search: the Full data; Title and Abstract; or DOI.
Results are categorised by content type in tabs above the results – here’s where you can choose to view datasets. There are also filters down the left-hand side that you can combine to narrow your results further, for example: publication year; researcher; fields of research; publication type; Open Access.
Datasets aren’t always easy to find so this is a useful development. We’ve added Dimensions to our Finding Research Data LibGuide that covers other useful tools and sources of research data – see: http://libguides.stir.ac.uk/findingdata
Clare Allan
Senior Research Librarian