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Dataset Catalog beta

Dataset Catalog User Guide

The Dataset Catalog is a curated catalog of biomedical datasets from various repositories for biomedical researchers to connect with key datasets and accelerate their scientific research. This guide is meant to help you use the catalog to find datasets relevant to your research. Information about the repositories included in the catalog can be found on the Repositories page. (link https://datasetcatalog.nlm.nih.gov/repositories.html)

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Webinar Materials

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On April 11, 2024, Peter Seibert, Nancy Fallgren, and Alvin Stockdale from NLM’s Dataset Catalog team hosted NLM Office Hours: Dataset Catalog. This session includes a discussion on the beta version of a new online tool, the Dataset Catalog, and a demonstration of the beta tool’s functionality, features, and benefits. Following the presentation and demonstration, the Dataset Catalog team answered questions from the audience.


Search Results

Dataset catalog Search Result page image

  1. Return to the home page. Clicking on Dataset Catalog beta will take you to the homepage.
  2. Search for datasets within the Dataset Catalog. The search bar supports keywords and phrases, as well as the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT, and parenthesis (). For example, (liver transplantation) AND (cardiovascular disease) https://datasetcatalog.nlm.nih.gov/search.html?q=(liver%20transplantation)%20AND%20%20(cardiovascular%20disease)
  3. Search results sorting. Search results can be sorted by Date (newest to oldest) and Relevance.
  4. Filter options. Search results can be filtered by source Repository, Time Frame, and MeSH Terms. Information on the MeSH vocabulary can be found at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html.
  5. Dataset information. Each dataset in the search results will contain the Title, source Repository, Issued Date, and a Description taken from the dataset documentation. Click on the Title to go to the full citation for that dataset.
  6. Feedback. Feedback on the Dataset Catalog beta is greatly appreciated and will help NLM develop and improve this resource.

Citation Page

Dataset catalog Search Result page image

  1. Access Information. View the dataset at its source Repository by clicking on the repository thumbnail in Access information box. Any licensing or rights information will be linked below the repository thumbnail under Rights.
  2. Dataset no longer available (overlay image). When a dataset is no longer available from a repository, the Dataset Catalog will maintain the record for that dataset. Contact the repository for more information.
  3. Dataset URL. The dataset URL is the same link as provided in the Access Information box.
  4. MeSH Terms. Clicking on a MeSH term will provide option to either 1) search the catalog for datasets containing the same term, or 2) search the MeSH RDF browser. Keywords are provided by the repository owner.
  5. Repository URL. Clicking on the repository name will take you to homepage of that repository.
  6. Contributors. Contributors are the authors of the dataset. Clicking on a name will search the catalog for that same contributor.
  7. Associated publications. These publications are either the source of the dataset or reference it in that publication. Clicking on a publication will link to the article in PubMed.