Locating resources using predefined tags

Locating Web Sites Using Our Predefined Resource Tags

Some web site catalog records have been specially tagged to make it easy to locate a specific type of information. Use the pull down list or check boxes on a search page to limit your search to a particular tag.

Below is a list of the tags that are currently being assigned:

Ask-an-expert: There are some government web sites that will answer questions on a particular topic. Most also have extensive answers to popular topics in their discipline
Bibliographic database: A bibliographic database is one that contains descriptive information with summaries (abstracts) of a particular information collection. Collections can include publications, journal articles, or biological species, etc. If the database can be searched online, then the tag, Online searching, also is used.
Computer software: This tag is assigned if a web site offers computer software.
Current awareness: Used to identify those web sites that provide a means of keeping the user informed of new developments, research, or other activities. If notification is via e-mail, then the tag, E-mail notification, also is used. See also News.
Data: Used if a site provides data. Data can be any type of numerical information including rainfall data, oceanographic data, food composition data, stress data of wood, chemical data, toxicity data, etc. It is best to limit the use of this term to a particular subject topic.
There are two narrower terms that are also available to tag data resources. These two terms are Data-Real time and Data-Satellite.
Dictionaries, directories, and definitions: Some sites offer dictionaries, directories, or definition lists.
Expertise: Many federal laboratories, centers, and facilities welcome interaction with other researchers in their discipline. They are interested in sharing their knowledge and know-how.
Federal laboratories and facilities: The government manages hundreds of laboratories and research facilities around the United States. The expertise and equipment available at these locations represent a valuable government resource. This tag helps you locate these major laboratories and facilities.
Funded university centers: This tag is assigned to university research centers sites that are funded by the government. These organizations are different from laboratories directly managed by government agencies.
Information centers: The government has established a number of organizations that specialize in locating and disseminating information in a particular topic. Most always this information concerns published research results or new research being conducted. Usually these centers also will use their expertise to help identify the more important information in their topic of specialization.
Inventions available for licensing: Use this tag to locate technology licensing opportunities. As part of its technology transfer activities, the government works with industry to license its technologies and bring them into the marketplace.
Maps and charts: Used as a tag when an organization provides actual maps, charts, or information online in a map or chart format.
News: News stories highlighting new research and technology. These are written to highlight major activities and findings. See also Current awareness.
Online searching of information: Assigned whenever a web site allows the online searching of information within a specific database on the site. This tag is normally not added if only a very small collection of data can be searched.
Photographs and images: Some government agencies provide image and/or photograph collections.
Reports and publications: This tag is used to identify those web sites that offer access to research reports, journal articles, or technical publications.
Research in progress: In the interest of alerting others to their current research activities and to assure that duplicate research is not carried out, agencies provide information about their active research. This tag is assigned when access to this information is available.
Research results: Used when a web site provides access to the results of scientific or technical research. Usually these results are available as a printed, viewable, or downloadable publications.
Resources for science aware citizens: This tag is used to identify those science and technology resources that would be of interest to nonscientists and engineers.
Resources for students and teachers: This tag is used if a web site features material for teachers and/or students. It is not used to identify sites that might just be of interest to students or teachers. See also www.kids.gov or the FirstGov education page.
Services: The service tag is used to identify those sites that offer some type of service for scientists or businesses such as a source for standard reference materials; a source of reagents, isotopes, or animal and genetic stocks; instrument calibration; etc.
Technology transfer opportunities: This tag is limited to those resources whose purpose is to actively transfer technology or provide information to move selected technologies into the market place.
User facility: Many research facilities are available for use by private sector companies and are identified as user facilities. These can consist of physical facilities, equipment, instrumentation, scientific expertise and necessary operational personnel. User facilities are powerful and efficient vehicles for gaining access to the scientific and technical resources found in the government. These facilities are often available to U.S. industry, universities, academia, other laboratories, state and local governments, and the scientific community in general. User facilities are a unique set of scientific research capabilities and resources whose primary function is to satisfy government programmatic needs, while being accessible to outside users. A user fee may be involved.
Web gateway or portal: Some government web sites have been established as an information bridge for a particular topic. For example, the web portal, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), links you to diverse biological databases, information products, and analytical tools.

- 08/12/2003