PaperScope: Visually PaperScope: Visually Exploring the ADSExploring the ADS

Mark HollimanMark Holliman

VOTECH Web DeveloperVOTECH Web DeveloperUniversity of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh

http://paperscope.sourceforge.net

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

PaperScopePaperScope

SummarySummaryMotivation behind PaperScopeMotivation behind PaperScopeGraph Description and ScreenshotsGraph Description and ScreenshotsFuture ImprovementsFuture ImprovementsSoftware DesignSoftware Design

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

MotivationMotivation The GoalThe Goal: To improve the method used by : To improve the method used by

Astrophysics researchers for searching the ADS Astrophysics researchers for searching the ADS to locate papers of interestto locate papers of interest

The ProblemThe Problem: ADS results are returned in a text : ADS results are returned in a text format that is useful for individual queries but is format that is useful for individual queries but is difficult to use in constructing reference or difficult to use in constructing reference or citation chainscitation chains

The SolutionThe Solution: Provide researchers with a : Provide researchers with a graphical method for searching the ADSgraphical method for searching the ADS Must be intuitive to useMust be intuitive to use Paper relationships should be clearly indicatedPaper relationships should be clearly indicated Search tools should be simpleSearch tools should be simple

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Solution: PaperScopeSolution: PaperScope

PaperScope is a standalone application built for PaperScope is a standalone application built for graphically exploring the ADSgraphically exploring the ADS Provides tools for graphing ADS search results into a Provides tools for graphing ADS search results into a

2D graph of nodes (papers) and edges (relationships) 2D graph of nodes (papers) and edges (relationships) all in real timeall in real time

The graph can be expanded by querying the ADS for The graph can be expanded by querying the ADS for reference or citation lists (or both) for a chosen paperreference or citation lists (or both) for a chosen paper

The graph can be searched and manipulated to locate The graph can be searched and manipulated to locate papers of interestpapers of interest

A graph can be saved to a file for later use or for A graph can be saved to a file for later use or for distributiondistribution

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Initial SearchInitial Search

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Initial GraphInitial Graph

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Graph Color SchemeGraph Color Scheme

- Reference Paper

- Focus Paper

- Citation Paper

- Highlighted Paper

- Citation Highlight

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Exploring the GraphExploring the Graph

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Expanding the GraphExpanding the Graph

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Filtering the GraphFiltering the Graph

Main UsesMain Uses

Researching reference and citation chains Researching reference and citation chains for a particular paperfor a particular paper

Identifying common (i.e. important) Identifying common (i.e. important) references for papers in a particular fieldreferences for papers in a particular field

Sharing lists of papers with others, Sharing lists of papers with others, including your comments about them, in a including your comments about them, in a useable formatuseable format

Discovering other authors who commonly Discovering other authors who commonly cite your own work, or the work of anothercite your own work, or the work of another

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Future ImprovementsFuture Improvements Plasticize – Make PaperScope Plastic enabled for Plasticize – Make PaperScope Plastic enabled for

communicating with other Astronomy software communicating with other Astronomy software (VOExplorer in particular)(VOExplorer in particular) Enables users to go from reading a paper to finding Enables users to go from reading a paper to finding

online data/tools from that paper all with only a few online data/tools from that paper all with only a few mouse clicksmouse clicks

Improve query formation and result sorting capabilitiesImprove query formation and result sorting capabilities Implement tree-style layout to use alongside the graphImplement tree-style layout to use alongside the graph Improve graph look and feel, and add new tools for Improve graph look and feel, and add new tools for

searching and manipulating the graphsearching and manipulating the graph Release backwards compatible version for Java 1.5Release backwards compatible version for Java 1.5

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Software DesignSoftware Design Programmed in JavaProgrammed in Java

Swing GUISwing GUI Graph is built using Prefuse (Graph is built using Prefuse (www.prefuse.org))

Open Source visualization Java libraryOpen Source visualization Java library Uses an XML based backend data structureUses an XML based backend data structure Easy to implement, and highly customizableEasy to implement, and highly customizable

Utilizes standard HTTP access to ADSUtilizes standard HTTP access to ADS Retrieves query results as XMLRetrieves query results as XML Translates results into Java object array, then into the GraphML Translates results into Java object array, then into the GraphML

format used by Prefuseformat used by Prefuse Randomly chooses an ADS mirror for each query to avoid Randomly chooses an ADS mirror for each query to avoid

overloading a single siteoverloading a single site Search tool uses the Apache Lucene search engine (Search tool uses the Apache Lucene search engine (

http://lucene.apache.org)) BrowserLauncher2BrowserLauncher2

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007

Download SoftwareDownload Software

http://paperscope.sourceforge.net/Download PaperScope 1.0 (requires Java 1.6)Download PaperScope 1.0 (requires Java 1.6)Report BugsReport BugsRequest FeaturesRequest FeaturesUser Manual and WalkthroughUser Manual and Walkthrough

ADASS XVII, London, September 26, 2007