Citing a Dataset from the Manifest JSON file

When downloading files via the SPARC portal, users will receive a zip folder containing the requested files along with an automatically generated manifest.json file containing metadata associated with the dataset and its files. This manifest.json file can be used in attributing and citing the original sources of the downloaded files.

This manifest.json file is not to be confused with any other manifest.xlsx files found within the 'files' folder which are manually created and curated by the dataset collaborators along with the SPARC curation team and contain details about the contents of their directory.

This Pennsieve metadata document is generated at the time of dataset publication. It follows a standard format specified at schema.org. It provides a structured summary of key dataset information, including the dataset name, short description, DOI, and a manifest of published files. It also identifies the dataset owner and contributors, lists related publications with their DOIs and relationship types, and captures essential metadata to ensure consistency and discoverability. This information is stored in a file named manifest.json, serving as a comprehensive record of the dataset’s artifacts and descriptive elements

To locate the dataset DOI from the manifest.json file, users can navigate to the @id property, located between the dataset license and publisher. For added simplicity, clicking on the DOI directs users to the dataset details page on the SPARC Portal, from where users can access the cite tab, which offers various citation formats.