Scratchpads: community tools for taxonomists
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Transcript of Scratchpads: community tools for taxonomists
Vincent S. SmithSimon D. Rycroft & Dave Roberts
Scratchpads“community tools for taxonomists”
Macro scale taxonomyThe big picture of taxonomic research
Goal…• Inventory the Earth’s species• Document their relationships• “Publish” these data
Data set…• 1.8M described species (10M names)
• 300M pages (over last 250 years)
• 1.5-3B specimens
People…• 4-6,000 scientists• 30-40,000 amateurs• Many more citizen scientists?
Micro scale taxonomyThe practice of taxonomic research
Parochial…• Specialised• Experts• Fragmented & distributed
Methodological…• Communities of practice• Hard to record & update• High output but low impact
Different…• Data• Interpretations• Methods How do we integrate micro & macro taxonomy?
Integrating micro & macro taxonomyPulling taxonomy and taxonomists together
The Traditional Approach• Single giant database• One size fits all• Very complex (or very simple)• Doesn’t fit all needs• Unsustainable
The Traditional Result!• No one uses it (except the developers)
• The project dies or a new database is built!
What is a Scratchpad?
Your data1
Published & reviewedon your site
3Uploaded &
tagged
2
A website for you & your community
What is a Scratchpad?
Your data1
Published & reviewedon your site
3Uploaded &
tagged
2
Fast Intuitive Fit for use
A website for you & your community
What can Scratchpads do?Import, manage, search & browse:
DNA & Phylogenies
Specimens
Literature Images
What can Scratchpads do?Integration & connectivity within & between sites
DNA & Phylogenies
Specimens
Literature ImagesTaxonomy
+Administration -Change your site information -Change you front page -Change your logo -Activity and access logs+Backup -Backing up your data -Restoring your data+Bibliography -Creating a record -Importing from a ref. manager -Exporting to a reference manager+Blog -Creating and adding a blog+Custom Content -Defining a CCK -Importing from a spreadsheet -Creating a custom view+Fileshare -Creating and using a fileshare+Forum -Altering the forum settings -Creating a container for a forum -Creating a new forum -Creating a new topic inside a forum
+Groups -Creating a group -Subscribing to a group+Image -Uploading & basic annotation -Linking image & location records -Linking image & specimen records -Linking image & publication records -Overlay annotations on images+Layout -Change your theme -Menus -Blocks and sidebars+Locations -Creating a record -Importing from a spreadsheet+Pages -Creating, editing, cloning & deleting -Configuring the panels template+Panels -Adding & configuring content -Creating a new panel -Citing a Panels page+Polls -Creating a poll
+Specimens -Creating a record -Importing from a spreadsheet -Linking specimen & location records -Linking specimen & pub. records+Tasks -Creating a tasklist+Taxonomy -Importing from a spreadsheet -Importing from Classificationbank -Starting from scratch -Taxonomy manager -Displaying a classification -Adding names -Deleting names -Taxonomy & panels+Users -Your settings -Adding a new user -User roles and permissions -Adding and editing user profile fields -Logging in+Webform -Creating and using webforms
What can Scratchpads do?In summary
What can Scratchpads do?Visual taskguide
Current ScratchpadsAntsBeesBeetlesBig-headed fliesBirdsBlackfliesCiliatesCockroachesDragon TreesDung BeetlesFalse ButtonweedFlat wormsFliesForaminiferaFossil InsectsFungus GnatsHolometabolaLeaf-miner FliesLiceLichens of BermudaMalvaceaeMegalastrum fernsMilichiid fliesMosquitoesMossesNannotax fossilsNepticuloid mothsPalmsPearl oystersPolychaete wormsScaleworms
TermitesTriticid grassesWeevilsWood Ferns
Sulawesi FernsStick insects
Sites: 61Users: 665Pages: 130kSince March 2007
Scratchpad usageContent & contributors in the first 15 months
Pages:- Across 61 sites- In detail:
• Definitions (41%)• References (26%)• Associations (8.5%)• DNA sequences (6%)
• Images (4.5%)• Maps (2.8%)• Specimens (2.1%)• Others (1.3%)
129,896 pages, 665 contributors
June 24 2008
Scratchpad usage
Contributors:- No more than 10% significantly active- Contributors in more than 30 countries- In detail:
• Europe (55%)• Unknown (29%)• North America (9%)• Asia (3%)
• Australasia (2.5%)• South America (2%)• Russia (0.8%)• Middle East (0.4%) [Jan. 08]
129,896 pages, 665 contributors
June 24 2008
Content & contributors in the first 15 months
Scratchpad visitorsTracking visitors across sites
Key monthly statistics- 50,000 page views - 6,000 visitors- 8 minutes on site- 50% returning visits
(average per month 08’)
http://Scratchpads.euOr just find out more…
To do…- 100+ help videos - Integration with EOL- Mass data editing tools- Interaction between sites- More panels (CBoL, IUCN)- Better taxonomy management- More functions (Ecol. interactions)
http://e-monocot.orgDevelop ideas for the e-Monocot project
Forum for…- Expressions of interest- Community news- Project news- Report a problem- Suggest a feature
Thanks…
Simon Rycroft Ben Scott Dave Roberts
Questions?