Figshare launches 'academic Pinterest'

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Figshare, an online digital repository for academic research, has launched Collections, which the company says offers the research community, including publishers and funders, a 'Pinterest' for academic research outputs.

The facility enables users to gather any data types on Figshare – including video, posters and code, whether public or private – to give it new context.

As researchers have access to increasing volumes of data, Collections allows users to group together relevant content from within Figshare into themed 'Collections'. These Collections can be publicly shared with their own URL and view counts to gauge popularity. When a 'Collection' is published it generates a DOI (digital object identifier) to provide more stable linking. These Collections can be updated and edited by the owner at any time to include new versions of research and new research outputs.

Figshare says the benefits of Collections include:

  • Publishers are able group all supplementary data around a particular article;
  • Research Funders can collate all the research outputs linked to a particular grant code;
  • Institutions can bring together all data and outputs around a topic or the presentations/information from workshop or conference they have hosted; and
  • Researchers can create personal Collections for all of the work related to a certain trending research area which is of interest to them and their collaborators

Mark Hahnel, founder of Figshare, said: 'Collections has many exciting uses, to enable the management the sheer volumes and variety of types of research information available online into contextual groups which can then be shared; while still affording ownership and traceability to authors.'

Figshare has published a tutorial video here.