Finding and Preparing Published Data
Last updated
Was this helpful?
Last updated
Was this helpful?
BETYdb is designed for both previously published data and 'primary' data. Most of this documentation assumes that you have already identified a data set that you want to upload, or have a set of papers from which you would like to extract data and summary statistics.
If you are planning to do a meta-analysis, even if this is not your first time, please read 'Uses and Misuses of Meta-analysis in Ecology" \cite{Koricheva_2014}. Many texts are available, but the recent "Handbook of Meta-analysis in Ecology and Evolution" is probably the most comprehensive and specific for plant sciences.
For a meta-analysis, the first step is to find papers that contain the target data.
The easiest approach to use a search engine such as , , or . Starting with queries such as "scientific name + trait", and allowing these results to guide further queries. Often, the references (particularly of meta-analyses and reviews) and forward citations will point to other studies.
Another starting point for the programmatically inclined - which aids in documenting searches - is to submit queries programmatically. Carl Davidson wrote a to search for citations based on species and trait name. In addition, the rOpenSci project has a .