SciVerse Applications: Cherry-picking the data
Jinfo Blog

By Joanna Ptolomey

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I have spent almost 15 years mastering search strategies and developing expert searches. I have picked apart the minutiae of extracting only the content that I really need for my customers. I have constructed processes and filters, and what I have learnt I have taught to others.

Yet this is still an incredibly tricky procedure for the experienced. Just how do you precision drill into mass content silos and cherry-pick the very best content upon which action can be taken straight away? Applications could be the way forward for product vendors and also for the customer.

Much of what we as information professionals do is deconstruct content by extracting the most highly prized sections. What I have learned over the years is that every user values very different aspect of content. That can make it tricky to extract only what they need.

Users often have very specific questions in mind and they don’t need or require whole articles. They want highly granular content. You want the methods and experimental section, how about the accompanying data sets, or the social media influence of a single article? Oh, and could we have this information in a format that feeds directly into our workflow processes?

This month I reviewed Elsevier SciVerse Applications for VIP and I believe this is an exciting step in the right direction. It is an application marketplace and developer network with applications in information management, productivity and workflow tools to refine and enhance the search and discovery process. It is also an organic product that has the ability to be shaped by users and institutions alike.

The applications have two main themes. Firstly, information management tools such as reference management, table download, methods sections, most cited, prolific author etc. Secondly, topic specific such as exoplanet, species, protein viewer and the recently announced multi-institutional consortium produced LIPID MAPS application. This application aims to promote the further understanding and discoverability of lipid structures and works as an application on the SciVerse Science Direct platform, linking lipid data to contextual information. This is a very useful tool, and highly specific, for researchers and information professionals alike. Users can choose just what they need with precision.

Cherry-picking from content via applications is taking off in a big way. As customers, we can now have a big say in what we want to do with content. We are not limited by the traditional citation and ejournal products. Yes, they have the great content start from which to discover from, but SciVerse Applications makes search and discovery options seemingly endless and organic for the institution and users. Search your own institutional content alongside SciVerse content via an app, or create custom topic specific or information discovery and management worktools – the user’s choice.

The SciVerse Applications product aids the discoverability and usability of content. A workflow tool that begs a very simple question – what do you want to do and how?

VIP subscribers can read the review by logging into MyShop.

Purchase your copy of VIP Report: Product Review of SciVerse Applications from the FreePint Shop. Or save money by purchasing VIP No. 98, which also includes the VIP Report: Product Review of NovaRes.

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