Tutorial
The iKit provides users with an intuitive Web interface which assists in the discovery of the outputs of JISC-funded research in the area of resource discovery by allowing them to dynamically search a database of around 250 individually-catalogued, quality-assessed resources via a faceted taxonomic framework. These taxonomic facets include: JISC programme; JISC project; contributing institution; technologies used or described by the resource; and the thesaurus of Information Environment functional terms.
Figure 1: iKit main page, including IE thesaurus concept-map
Figure 1 shows the main page of the iKit. To the right of the screenshot can be seen the clickable image which displays the top two levels of the IE thesaurus as a conceptual map in order to offer an alternate browsing feature. On the left can be seen the search and browse interface, which forms part of the iKit Web template and appears on every page of the iKit. The search and browse interface prompts the user to select the facet of the iKit taxonomic framework they wish to search within (via choice of radio button) and then enter their search term. The default search is set to "general keyword". If no search term is entered the iKit will return all entries listed under the taxonomic facet selected, thus enabling the same interface to be used as both the searching and browsing of iKit content.
If the user chooses to search within one facet of the taxonomic framework they will be presented with an intermediate results screen showing all the controlled vocabulary terms which correspond to their search criteria. For example, the term "Edinburgh" entered within the "contributing institutions" facet will return the screen shown in figure 2, allowing the user then to further define their criteria.
Figure 2: Intermediate result for keyword search "Edinburgh" within Contributing institutions facet
Choosing one of these terms (e.g. "EDINA at Edinburgh, University of") then prompts the iKit to dynamically query the database via a Cold Fusion server script and return all items catalogued using this term. The results are then displayed in an alphabetical list which gives the item title, description and year of creation. This screen is shown in figure 3. Clicking the hyperlink at this point opens a new browser window to display the item directly (or to open the download dialogue in the case of an item of software).
Figure 3: Full results display for all items associated with "EDINA at Edinburgh, university of"
A keyword search under "general keyword" will immediately return all iKit items where the search term occurs in either the assigned keywords, in the item title or item description. Clicking the hyperlink will open the item, thus making it possible for a user having accessed the iKit and entered their search term, to potentially be able to access a relevant item in just two keystrokes.
Figure 4: Full record view example
The user can then either click the hyperlink to go directly to the item or the internal link "[Full record]" to be taken to the full iKit record for that item. This view, shown in figure 4, gives all the information held about that item. Visible to the left of figure 4 is a search interface offering internal links to search the iKit for items associated with all the controlled vocabulary terms included in that item description. In "Full record" view, a box appears on the search interface giving internal links to search the iKit for all the taxonomic terms which appear in that item record.
When searching within either the "IE thesaurus" or "technologies" facets, the user is presented with an option to explain that term. In the case of the IE thesaurus, this takes the user to a screen which gives the term definition, scope notes, and hierarchically and synonymously related terms (see figure 5). In the case of "Technologies", it takes the user to a screen which points the user towards definitions of that technology in (depending on availability) the JISC Standards Catalogue, the official Website for that technology, and/or its corresponding entry in Wikipedia.
Figure 5: Full term display for "terminology services"
Embedding iKit searches in external web pages
Parameterised URLs for iKit keyword searches can be embedded as hyperlinks behind text and graphics on any web page. Accessing Resource Discovery iKit content gives full details.
The interactive concept map of the JISC Information Environment on the homepage of the iKit service can also be embedded in any web page. An XHTML snippet for displaying the map graphic and defining clickable areas with hyperlinks to iKit searches can be downloaded as the text file rdikitmap.txt and pasted into any XHTML script.
An XHTML snippet for a web page including the interactive map and a short introduction to the iKit service is also available for download as the text file rdikitintro.txt.
