Overview

This documentation provides you with step-wise instructions on how you can contribute data to the ABCD-J catalog. But, first things first…

What is a data catalog?

A data catalog is a website that displays and organises information that you provide about your collected datasets. Have a look at the ABCD-J data catalog.

Why should you contribute to the ABCD-J data catalog?

The purpose of this catalog is to encourage collaboration between partner sites. If all ABCD-J partners between Aachen (A), Bonn (B), Cologne (C), Düsseldorf (D), and Jülich (J) share a common data catalog (the ABCD-J catalog) which showcases their respective collected datasets, partners can more easily engage in potential collaborations with each other as they can see what data has already been collected at each site.

What is metadata?

Metadata is information that describes a dataset, such as its title, description, author, date of collection, file format and size, etc. Importantly, metadata does not include the data files themselves. Metadata is also the format in which datasets are contributed to the ABCD-J catalog.

What about privacy concerns related to personal data in these datasets?

The ABCD-J data catalog only makes metadata (i.e. descriptive fields about your dataset) openly available, there is no need to make the actual data file content publicly accessible. In other words, you do not need to upload sensitive data (or publicly available data, for that matter) anywhere in order for the dataset to be part of the catalog, just metadata. Providing full access to a dataset, or merely to a limited description about a dataset is entirely within your control. If a partner wishes to pursue a collaboration regarding a certain dataset, that partner will still need to follow the existing institutional routes of requesting access to your dataset. You have FULL control over what information is displayed in the catalog, and if you want the data files to be publicly accessible or not.

So how do I contribute metadata to the ABCD-J catalog?

We’re glad you asked! Head over to the step-by-step Instructions.