Data Registers

DataCite

DataCite is the organisation that mints DOI-s and registers metadata of the datasets. 
It is possible to search the DataCite register for scientific data, publications, software, organizations, repositories etc., starting from the https://commons.datacite.org/ page.

The search terms should use the data in the metadata fields required by the DataCite metadata framework: database author, title, keywords, and so on.
What are the mandatory, recommended and optional metadata of DataCite can be found on the website for the scientists.
Currently, there are more than 36 million works in the DataCite register, of which almost 2,4 million are research data from Estonian repositories. The largest contribution to this has been made by the data management platform PlutoF.

This registry has some good features:
1. From the beginning of 2020, the DataCite register  bring forth the number of times the database has been cited, viewed and downloaded. It should be noted that past activities are not reflected, so an accurate overview of the use of the dataset will only be available from 2020 onwards.
2. It is convenient to cite the dataset in 8 most common formats, they can be immediately copied from the register.
3. DataCite provides the Data Citation Formatter, where more than 5,000 standard references can be created by copying a DOI.

An example: Let us search for data published by a researcher of UT, Maarja Öpik:

 

The search results show that the database has been cited once, viewed 175 times and downloaded 24 times. DOI takes the into the Dryad repository to the dataset and can be cited in several formats.

 

Additional reading: Ten simple rules for getting and giving credit for data.

 

OpenAIRE

Data and publications can also be searched on the OpenAIRE portal. OpenAIRE is a long-time project of the European Commission; it incorporates the results of research projects funded by the EC and interlinks them.

The UT Library hosts the OpenAire NOAD.

To search the portal for research publications and the linked open data, open the OpenAIRE Explore and select publications, data, software, organisations, projects or funders in the search box.

 

 

Mendeley Data Search

Mendeley is a UK-based company that provides products and services to researchers. The company is owned by the scientific publishing house Elsevier. Mendeley Data is a service that offers researchers the ability to store data and search data across a number of registers.
Mendeley Data Search explores datasets in repositories using the DataCite, OpenAIRE, etc. registers mentioned above, but the advantage of Mendeley Data is that it also searches keywords inside the data files in its own repository, not just the metadata.
At the moment, Mendeley Data Search seems to be the most useful search environment, although there are few filtering options. The data types are clearly exposed. 
Search results cannot be sorted by year, but the year number can be added to the search box.
The logic is exactly the same as for other registers: you have to find a dataset and move on  to the repository to access and download the data.

An example: 

Täpsemalt saab andmekogu vaadata, klõpsates pealkirjal ja see viib repositooriumisse   https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/jtts2d7dtg/1

 

Google Dataset Search

Google is developing a dataset search engine, and from 2018, Google Dataset Search is available. It is similar to the Google Scholar search engine and they are designed to complement each other. Currently, only a simple keyword search is possible, you can also filter by data type. It can be said that Google Dataset Search is currently under development and it is improving pretty quickly.

 

Data Citation Index

Data Citation Index is the research data register of Web of Science.
It links research data, articles and software and provides information about data citation. It is not currently available in universities in Estonia.