Product Overview: SN SciGraph
Introduction
SN SciGraph, developed by Springer Nature, is the largest Linked Open Data (LOD) aggregation platform in the scholarly domain. Launched in February 2017, it aims to integrate and make accessible vast amounts of scholarly data, facilitating easier discovery, analysis, and reuse of this data.
What SN SciGraph Does
SN SciGraph aggregates data from various sources, including Springer Nature publications, grants, conferences, and other relevant datasets. This platform addresses the challenge of extracting and merging large datasets from multiple repositories and formats, making the data machine-readable, interoperable, and reusable. By linking different types of data, SN SciGraph enhances content discoverability and broadens the scope of research by revealing previously unseen patterns and perspectives.
Key Features
Data Integration and Accessibility
- SN SciGraph combines data from Springer Nature publications with other datasets such as grants, clinical trials, patents, and policy documents, creating a comprehensive scholarly knowledge graph.
- The data is encoded in RDF (Resource Description Framework) and structured as ‘Triples’ (subject, predicate, object), allowing for millions of connections to be formed into a graph.
Linked Open Data Explorer
- The platform provides a simple and interactive UI for exploring the graph contents, enabling users to navigate through related objects such as articles, journals, authors, institutions, and grants.
- Users can download machine-readable descriptions of the data, and the platform supports linked data ‘dereferencing’ for external users.
Visualization and Exploration Tools
- Tools like SemSpect enable users to visually explore the relationships between different categories of objects within the graph. This includes aggregated tree-like overviews and the ability to filter and expand groups to uncover specific connections.
- The platform includes distinctive icons and improved linked data visualization to make navigation clearer.
APIs and Developer Tools
- SN SciGraph offers APIs that facilitate the development of end-user applications, enhancing the usability of the data for various stakeholders, including researchers, developers, and librarians.
- The platform supports hack days and interactive forums where developers can create new applications using the Linked Open Data, such as tools for optimal journal selection and smart peer-review assignment systems.
Compliance and Standards
- SN SciGraph is compliant with Schema.org, a standard promoted by search engine giants like Google, Microsoft, and Yandex. This compliance makes it easier for users to work with the data using familiar data models.
Licensing and Availability
- The data is available under Creative Commons licenses (CC0, CC-BY, CC-BY-NC), allowing for broad reuse and integration into other applications.
Analytics and Dashboards
- The platform provides dashboards and analytics tools to help understand the research landscape, including metrics on journal and book performance, and the distribution of sub-fields within a given research area.
Functionality
Content Discoverability
- SN SciGraph significantly speeds up content discovery by linking Springer Nature publications to other data types, making it easier to find related content such as organizations, grants, and clinical trials associated with an article or book.
Business Intelligence and Analytics
- The platform supports various use cases, including understanding how institutions use Springer Nature content, identifying researchers for marketing efforts, and assessing the performance of published titles.
Community Engagement
- SN SciGraph serves as an innovation hub, encouraging collaboration with top research institutes and industry partners through hack days and other interactive forums.
In summary, SN SciGraph is a powerful tool that enhances the accessibility, discoverability, and usability of scholarly data, making it an invaluable resource for researchers, librarians, funders, and developers in the academic and commercial sectors.