Database linking

Linking research data and research articles on ScienceDirect

Database Linking is available for researchers and data repositories as one method to ensure that data can be easily discovered and accessed. This is done by creating bidirectional links between data repositories and online articles on ScienceDirect. Readers on ScienceDirect have one-click access to relevant, trusted data that may help to validate research or drive further investigations.

Depositing data at a repository

Elsevier encourages authors to deposit raw experimental data at relevant data repositories. There are several ways in which we support interlinking of articles and data:

ScholeXplorer: Elsevier collaborates with Scholix to establish links between articles and datasets. Currently we use ScholeXplorer to makes links available to CCDC, DRYAD, ICPSR, IEDA, PANGAEA and SEANOE. When you deposit data in one of these repositories the link will automatically appear on ScienceDirect.
Data DOI's: Elsevier supports Data DOI's as persistent identifiers for scientific data. If you include a data DOI in your article, it will automatically turn into a link to your data on ScienceDirect.
Link to data repository: When you submit your article, you will be able to indicate in the submission system in which repository you have deposited your data. When you provide all relevant information, this will be made available with your article on ScienceDirect. This way, you can link out to the repository of your choice.
Referencing data in your article through tagging identifiers or accession numbers: If your article contains relevant unique identifiers or accession numbers linking to information on genes, proteins, diseases, etc. or structures deposited in public databases, and you would like your article to link to that data, please identify these entities in the following way: "database abbreviation: data identifier". For example, "PDB: 1TUP" to identify the protein with accession number "1TUP" in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Please bear in mind that an error in a letter or number will result in a dead link in the article. Database abbreviations and further examples can be found in the listing of supported databases

Supported Data Repositories

Archaeology

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked (learn more)	More information
The Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR)	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript.	tDAR homepage
Archaeology Data Service (ADS)	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript.	ADS homepage

Earth, Environmental & Oceanographic Data

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked (learn more)	More information
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Archive	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript, following these citation instructions.	ARM Data homepage Data citation instructions
BGS GeoScenic	Authors should specify BGS GeoScenic numbers, e.g. GeoScenic: P603281.	BGS GeoScenic homepage
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript.	CDIAC homepage Data submission instructions Example article
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), including BADC, BODC, EIDC and NGDC.	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript	NERC Data Centres Example article
System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR), registry for International Geo Sample Numbers (IGSN)	Authors should specify IGSN numbers, e.g. IGSN: HRV003M16.	SESAR homepage Registering samples Example article

Engineering & Materials Standards

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
ASTM (formerly, American Society for Testing and Materials)	Authors should specify ASTM identifiers, e.g. ASTM: G63.	ASTM standards homepage Example article

Genes & Gene Expression

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Allele Frequency Net Database (AFND)	Authors should specify AFND accession numbers, e.g. AFND: AFND001243	AFND homepage Submitting data
ArrayExpress	Authors should specify ArrayExpress accession numbers, e.g. ArrayExpress: E-MEXP-3783.	ArrayExpress homepage Submitting data Example article
GenBank	Authors should specify GenBank accession numbers, e.g. GenBank: BA123456. ScienceDirect displays and visualizes supporting information using information from and linking to the repository.	GenBank homepage Submitting data
Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)	Authors should specify GEO accession numbers, e.g. GEO: GSE27196; GEO: GPL5366; GEO: GSM9853. ScienceDirect displays supporting information using information from and linking to the repository.	GEO homepage Submitting data Example article
Genome Sequence Archive	Authors should specify GSA identifiers, e.g. GSA: CRA000134	GSA homepage

Genes & Medicine

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM)	Authors should specify OMIM accession numbers, e.g. OMIM: 601240.	OMIM homepage Example article

Health and Medical Sciences

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked (learn more)	More information
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT)	Authors should specify NCT accession numbers, e.g. NCT: NCT00222573.	ClinicalTrials.gov Example article
The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA)	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript.	TCIA homepage Submitting data

Interdisciplinary

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
4TU.ResearchData	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript.	4TU.ResearchData homepage Uploading data Citing data
Australian National Data Service	Authors should include data DOI's in their manuscript.	ANDS homepage Example article Registering data Citing data
Dataverse	Some journals have a dedicated Dataverse repository set up for authors to upload their data that belongs with the article. Authors should include the dataset DOI in the article, e.g. doi:10.7910/DVN/26868	Harvard Dataverse page Example of the journal Dataverse repository Example article
Mendeley Data	Mendeley Data banners will be shown on ScienceDirect when the repository has data for the article	Mendeley Data homepage Example article

Life Sciences

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
CryptoDB	Authors should specify CryptoDB accession numbers, e.g. CryptoDB: cgd2_220	CryptoDB homepage Submitting data
EMBL-EBI OLS Molecular Interaction Ontology (MI)	Authors should specify EMBL-EBI OLS accession numbers, e.g. EMBL-EBI MI: 0218.	EMBL-EBI OLS homepage Example article
FungiDB	Authors should specify FungiDB accession numbers, e.g. FungiDB: NCU06658	FungiDB homepage Submitting data
MycoBank	Authors should specify MycoBank accession numbers, e.g. MycoBank: 476 .	MycoBank homepage Submitting data
NCBI Taxonomy	Authors should specify NCBI Taxonomy accession numbers, e.g. NCBI Taxonomy: 48184.	NCBI Taxonomy homepage Example article
PlasmoDB	Authors should specify PlasmoDB accession numbers, e.g. PlasmoDB: PF3D7_0417200	PlasmoDB homepage Submitting data
ToxoDB	Authors should specify ToxoDB accession numbers, e.g. ToxoDB: TGME49_239250	ToxoDB homepage Submitting data
TriTrypDB	Authors should specify TriTrypDB accession numbers, e.g. TriTrypDB: Tb927.11.3120	TriTrypDB homepage Submitting data

Materials Science

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL)	Authors should specify Data DOI's in their manuscript.	ILL homepage ILL data policy

Model Organisms

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
The Arabidopsis Information Resource database (TAIR)	Authors should specify TAIR accession numbers, e.g. TAIR: AT1G01020.	TAIR homepage Example article
FlyBase	Authors should specify FlyBase accession numbers, e.g. FlyBase: FBgn0036925	FlyBase homepage Submitting data Example article
The Zebrafish Model Organism Database (ZFIN)	Authors should specify ZFIN accession numbers, e.g. ZFIN: ZDB-GENO-960809-7, ZFIN: ZDB-GENE-040426- 2439, ZFIN: ZDB-PUB-010810-1.	ZFIN homepage Submitting data Example article

Physics & Astronomy

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Astrophysics Source Code Library (ASCL)	Authors should specify ASCL accession numbers, e.g. ascl:1109.003	ASCL homepage Example article
ThermoML (NIST)	ThermoML text-links will be shown on ScienceDirect when the repository has data for the article. Data is extracted from the literature by curators.	ThermoML homepage Example article

Proteins

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Molecular Interactions Database (MINT)	Authors should specify MINT accession numbers, e.g. MINT: 6166710.	MINT homepage Example article
Protein Data Bank (PDB)	Authors should specify PDB accession numbers, e.g.PDB: 1TUP. Protein structures are visualized using a Protein Viewer application. ScienceDirect displays and visualizes supporting information using information from and linking to the repository.	PDB homepage
Protein Circular Dichroism Data Bank	Authors should specify PCDDB identifiers, e.g. PCDDB: CD0000048000.	PCDDB homepage
ProteomeXchange	Authors should specify ProteomeXchange accession numbers, e.g. ProteomeXchange: PXD000770 or PRIDE: PXD000770.	ProteomeXchange website Submitting data Example article
Universal Protein Resource Knowledgebase (UniProt)	Authors should specify UniProt accession numbers, e.g.UniProt: Q9H0H5.	UniProt website Example article

Reagents

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Antibody Registry	Authors should specify Antibody Registry accession numbers, e.g. RRID: AB_1015010. ScienceDirect displays supporting information using information from and linking to the repository.	Antibody Registry homepage Example article

Software & Computer Code

Data Repository	How articles and data are linked	More information
Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN)	Authors should specify CRAN library names, e.g. CRAN: pso.	CRAN homepage Example article

Upload Data During Your Article Submission Directly to Mendeley Data

Mendeley Data is a certified, free-to-use repository that hosts open data from all disciplines, whatever its format (e.g. raw and processed data, tables, codes and software).

With many Elsevier journals, it’s possible to upload and store your data to Mendeley Data during the manuscript submission process. You can also upload your data directly to the repository. In each case, your data will receive a DOI, making it independently citable and it can be linked to any associated article on ScienceDirect, making it easy for readers to find and reuse.

Find out more

Why should I share my research data?

There are so many good reasons. Find out more and discover how you can share research data with Elsevier.

More information on Sharing Research Data