FAQs for Dataset DOIs FAQs for Dataset DOIs

Q1. I am familiar with DOIs for journal articles. How does the DOI system work for datasets?

A1. The system works in the same way as for journal articles. A third party registration agent manages the DOI metadata and provides the mechanism for the DOI resolver service (https://doi.org) to work. GAGE is now a DOI provider through DataCite and tracks the DOI metadata (author, publisher, publication date, etc.) for the DOIs it mints, and forwards the information to the resolver service. GAGE maintains a citation summary page (or Landing Page); the URL to this page is uploaded to the registration service. Because the DOI system is meant to provide a way to recover the dataset in question as well as other information to make the dataset useful through time, GAGE has committed through DataCite to maintaining this information and access to the datasets indefinitely.

Q2. Which datasets in the GAGE Archive are "publishable" using DOIs?

A2. GAGE aims to keep extensive metadata about each archived dataset. With regard to GPS/GNSS, datasets that have complete metadata (including principal investigator(s), funding, and sufficient observational metadata such as monument, location, instrumentation), are publishable. Data sets that are incomplete in any way must be withheld from publication.

Q3. What metadata are stored in a third party registry when GAGE publishes a dataset?

A3. The DataCite system allows a variety of metadata to be stored to uniquely define and document the associated dataset. The DataCite metadata schema includes mandatory and optional items. The mandatory metadata are: Identifier (the DOI), Creator (the authors), Title, Publisher, Publication Year. In addition, GAGE also provides certain optional metadata to the DataCite system including geographic location (spatial) information, and related dataset DOIs.

Q4. What dataset types does GAGE publish using DOIs?

A4. GAGE has implemented DOI publication for GPS/GNSS datasets, GPS/GNSS products, InSAR products, and TLS datasets. We plan to make these all available through a single interface.

Q5. Where do I find citation information (author, publication date, title, etc.) for published datasets?

A5. This information is found on the DOI citation summary page for each dataset that has been published. Use the GAGE DOI search to find published GPS/GNSS datasets. For help with finding GPS/GNSS product, InSAR product, or TLS data DOIs, email dataunavco.org.

Q6. I want to link a GAGE dataset DOI on my own web page - how do I do that?

A6. A proper DOI link on your page (in html) will link to the DOI resolver service at https://doi.org (not unavco.org), e.g. <a href="https://doi.org/10.7283/T5JW8BS7">https://doi.org/10.7283/T5JW8BS7</a> (not href="http://www.unavco.org/data/doi/..."). This will remain valid should there ever be a GAGE web site reorganization that changes the final landing page URL of the DOI.

Q7. How does GAGE handle GPS/GNSS dataset DOIs for campaigns vs. continuous/permanent stations vs. networks of stations and special cases where the Principal Investigators have changed over time?

A7. For GPS/GNSS datasets (raw and RINEX data), GAGE publishes (assigns DOIs) for four different dataset types, all with associated data that have been archived to quality standards described above. The types are GPS/GNSS Campaign Datasets; GPS/GNSS Continuous Station Datasets; Aggregated Datasets; and Composite Datasets. The first two are considered primary dataset types. The third and fourth types are derived or secondary dataset types because they are composed of two or more datasets of the primary type.

  1. GPS/GNSS Campaign Dataset - This will be a dataset defined between GAGE and the Principal Investigators at the time of archiving, and generally will include observations as raw and/or RINEX data files and metadata from GPS/GNSS data collection at a number of recoverable monuments that occurred within a well-defined time window. Once archiving is complete and the DOI is assigned, there is no intention to add data to the campaign that extends the end time or otherwise modifies the data included in the DOI.
  2. GPS/GNSS Continuous Station Dataset – Observations and metadata from GPS/GNSS raw and/or RINEX data collection at a single recoverable monument. Unlike the campaign dataset type, which is complete and unchanging through time, the Continuous Station Dataset is open ended (until the station is retired). The DOI will be associated with an increasing dataset through time; because of this aspect of this dataset type it is important when citing this data to qualify the citation with an access date of the data and the temporal window of data used in the research. See Citation Guidance for a permanent/continuous station dataset.
  3. Aggregated GPS/GNSS Datasets - These will often be an associated group of campaign datasets or a network of stations. A campaign example is the Mammoth/Mojave 1994 campaign - https://doi.org/10.7283/T57H1GGM, which consists of three individual primary datasets: Mammoth, Mojave, and Combined Sites). For permanent/continuous stations, networks or sub-networks of stations may be assigned an aggregated DOI. An example is Plutons GPS Network - https://doi.org/10.7283/T5V98697. The collection of stations aggregated does not have to be a network; in this case, the purpose of the aggregated dataset is for collecting a potentially large number of station DOIs for citing in a journal article (ie, in order to avoid citation lists containing tens or hundreds of dataset references).
  4. Composite GPS/GNSS Datasets - A composite dataset DOI is one that is comprised of two or more subset DOIs that together make up what would normally be considered to be a single dataset. The most common example is a permanent (continuous) GPS/GNSS station where the principal investigator (author) changed at a particular point in time. The existing network (Nucleus) stations that were adopted by GAGE (formerly UNAVCO) as part of PBO are examples. The entire dataset is one DOI and is comprised of a separate DOI for each time period with a different author or set of authors. An example is the composite DOI for the station NOMT - https://doi.org/10.7283/T5B27SN9

Q8. When I use the DOI search, my datasets are not shown. What is happening?

A8. We are working to assign the DOIs for all publishable datasets as quickly as possible. If you would like to have your datasets advanced in the queue, please email dataunavco.org. For help with finding GPS/GNSS product, InSAR product, or TLS data DOIs, email dataunavco.org.

Q9. It would be useful to me to define an aggregated dataset with a DOI consisting of a number of primary data sets that I have in mind. Is there a way to request this?

A9. This can be done on a case by case basis; please email dataunavco.org.

Please submit additional questions for this FAQ to dataunavco.org.