Vincent S. Smith Simon D. Rycroft & Dave Roberts 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• MethodsHow 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: 61

Users: 665

Pages: 130k

Since 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?