Frequently Asked Questions

1. Free text searching

1.1. What can and can't I enter in the search box in this version?

You can enter a term in upper or lower case. Entries are not case sensitive.

You can enter a string such as biomedical informatics and the Explorer will return all resources that have that string in field. It does not retrieve resources in which the two terms are not exactly together.

This version does not support:

1.2. What does the Explorer search and return as results to my free text search?

With a free text search, the Explorer searches most fields in the resource records to come up with matches to your query terms. It searches for synonyms, as well.

The fields in each resource record include the following. Those that are grayed out are not searched:

1.3. Why do I get 0 results or fewer results than I expected?

A couple reasons may explain why 0 or fewer results than you expected appear. They include:

2. Facet searching

2.1. What are facets (clickable terms) in the left frame and how do I search on them?

In the left frame are numerous categories and each has terms listed under it. The terms are called "Facets," and you can click on any of them. When you do you initiate what we call a faceted search. That is, you trigger the Explorer to search for and display all resources that have the facet term in them for the category under which it appears.

The category name represents fields that are in the resource record that resource record authors fill in when they create the record. Each of these fields is a structured field, which means that authors are only allowed to enter pre-defined terms in them. The predefined terms are the facets listed under each category. A resource record may have more than one of these facet terms entered in each of the category fields.

The facets let you quickly search the resource inventory database through a single click. When you click on a facet, the Explorer displays all the resources that have that term entered in the given category.

Facet searching lets you limit results relevant to your needs one term at a time. When you click a second facet after getting results for the first, the Explorer narrows down the results set to show just the subset pertaining both terms you selected (implicitly AND'ing your query facets). As you select more facets, the Explorer continues to narrow down your results.

If you want to search by more than one term at a time, use the Advanced search option.

2.2. What do the numbers next to the facet terms mean and can I click them alone?

The number next to a facet shows the count of resources that have that term in the given category under which it is listed on the screen. In this version, these numbers stay constant and always show the total number of resources for each term. The counts do not change after each search (click of a facet) to reflect the counts of only the resources in the results set as yet.

In this version of the Explorer, you cannot click on a count of a facet alone. For example, while you are in the middle of a progressive search you cannot click on a count to see all records (the count) that have that given facet term in them.

2.3. What does Explorer search and return for results when I do a facet search?

The Explorer returns resources that have the value you clicked in that particular facet category. It does not return resources that may have that term other fields (categories).

2.4. Why do I get 0 results when I click on a facets term that has a count > 0?

For your first search with a facet you should always get some results if the count is greater than 0. If not, please report it to us and we will fix it immediately.

When you an initial search, you will note that the numbers next to the facet terms do not change to reflect the counts in the resulting set of resources. If you continue to search, you may select a facet that has a count > 0 next to it but that, in fact, is not present (not an active term) in any of the resources displayed in the results of your initial search. In this version, it is not possible to tell from the screen display which facets are "active" (relevant to) a continuing search and which facets are not. A facet that is inactive/irrelevant will produce 0 results because no record within your current results set has that term in that field.

2.5. Where do facets come from for Resource Type, Activities, Area of Research?

These three categories are part of the Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO). The BRO provides a standard vocabulary for describing types of biomedical resources. Each category is structured into a hierarchy. To see all the hierarchies, go to: http://bioportal.bioontology.org/visualize/40656

In this version of the Explorer, only BRO terms that tag currently available resources are listed as facets. In Related Activities and Areas of Research, only the 1st level facets are listed; in Resource Types only the top 2 levels are listed. The total number of hierarchical levels and facets listed include:

BRO category Number of hierarchical levels Number of facets displayed
(a) Related Activities 3 13
(b) Areas of Research 2 14
(c) Resource Type 7 92
2.6. With so many facets for Resource Type, how do I decide which to click?

The facets are arranged alphabetically, not hierarchically. If you want all resources of a high level type (e.g. Software, Material services), see FAQ #4.

If you aren't sure which facet to click, it may help for you to see the hierarchical relationships among the listed facets. If you're interested, go to the BRO website to see the hierarchy: http://bioportal.bioontology.org/visualize/40656.


Figure 1. BRO Ontology Example

Figure 1. lets you see more about the facets listed under Resource Type. It shows you that Data Storage Service will return resources related to services Data Storage Repository will give results pertaining to software.

2.7. Do results from BRO facets show resources for subordinate levels, too?

Yes. Results include resources tagged for the clicked term and resources tagged for any of the "children" of the term in the hierarchy.

2.8. What are the terms in the top bar and what happens when I search on any one of them?

The terms across the top represent the top level of the Resource Type hierarchy.
Software, Material Resources, Funding Resources, Regulatory Resources, Training Resources, People Resources.

They give you easy access to using these top level Resource Types to filter to resources of interest. Interact with them like you do with the left frame facets. Click one and the Explorer will return resources that are tagged for that Resource Type, including all children in that category.

3. Advanced search

3.1. What results do I get back if I choose multiple items within or between categories?

If you selected terms in only one category: You get back all resources that contain any of the terms you chose for the given categories.
If you chose terms in 2 or more categories: You get back only the resources that have one or more of the terms in the first category and one or more of the terms in the second category.
In terms of Boolean logic, the Explorer implicitly AND's between categories and OR's within categories.

TIP: The more categories you search, the more likely it is that you will get 0 results.

3.2. How do I clear all selections and what if I want to only clear selections in one category?

To clear all selections on the Advanced Search page, press the "Clear All" button at the top of the page.

To clear your entries in only one section, press the De-Select All button at the top of the section, next to the heading.

3.3. Is there a quick way to choose all but one, two or three items in a section?

Yes with these procedures:

4. Quick search of the first level of the biomedical resource type ontology

4.1. Can I quickly see all the resources for the main headings of the Resource Type?

Yes. The bar at the top of the screen, under the Clinical and Translational Resource Explorer heading, has the first level headings of the Resource Type hierarchy (see visual below).

Click on any one of the terms. The Explorer will display results for that term.

5. Refinements to searches

5.1. What results do I get if I type something in the search box after having entered a facet or advanced search?

The Explorer assumes that you want to do a hybrid search. It assumes you want to further constrain the results of your prior Facets and Advanced query by the terms you enter in the free text search. You may get 0 results because no records matches this constraint (i.e. none matches your prior query further filtered (AND'd) by the free text terms). The term you enter in the free text box will added to the string of terms you are searching on in this query in what we call the breadcrumbs string.

If you add another term to the same query session after this one, the Explorer automatically cancels the first term and its results. Now the results include resources that pertain to the new term and the rest of the search already underway (AND'ed into the string).

5.2. How do I undo a term I searched on?

In the string of terms showing what you have queried on so far --called breadcrumbs, i.e. a breadcrumb path of your moves that keeps you from getting lost - click the "x" next to the term that you want to remove. Explorer reformulates the search, now without the term, and it returns and displays new results.

5.3. Can I combine Advanced Search, Facets, and Free Text terms in a search session?

No. If you conduct an Advanced Search in the middle of another search session, Explorer treats the Advanced Search as a new search. It removes prior results and now shows the resources relevant to only the terms you selected in Advanced Search.

If you conduct a Facets search after having retrieved results from an Advanced Search, Explorer treats the click of the facet as a new search and retrieve and displays results relevant only to the facet.

5.4. Can I add or subtract Advanced search terms to an already started Advanced Search?

Yes. After you have gotten results displayed for an advanced search you can keep refining that search. To do so, click the Advanced Search link on the Results page. The Advanced Search page shows up with all your prior entries still checked. You can add to or subtract from this search and the Explorer will update and display results accordingly.

NOTES: When you click "Clear All" under the breadcrumbs the Explorer cancels a search session and starts anew, both in the Advanced and Facets search.

In this version the breadcrumb path showing the terms on which you've searched so far only shows up on the Facets and Results page. To keep track of you Advanced Search terms, scan the Advanced Search page for your check marks.

6. Results

6.1. Why do I get different counts in results when I search on a facet/advanced search term from when I do a free text search on the same term?

The reason for this difference is that the free text search retrieves records that have the term in any of its fields, including description as well as the facet fields. The facet or advanced search, however, retrieves only the resources with the term in the facet field.

6.2. How do I view the resource record of the selected resource?

Click the name of the resource in the Results table. A pop up window of the record appears.

6.3. How can I see where my free text search term appears in the results?

In this version, the Explorer does not yet highlight the search terms in the results. Press Ctrl+F to search the screen and see where they are.

7. Creation of your own resource record

7.1. How can I put my resources in the inventory so that they are searched by the tool?

The registry page has procedures to follow for creating resource records. Please click the link to this page: Biositemaps Registration