How to Use Open Knowledge Maps

Getting started with Open Knowledge Maps

In this guide, you'll learn how to navigate Open Knowledge Maps to visually search and explore scientific literature. By the end, you'll be able to create knowledge maps that cluster related research papers based on your chosen topics.

Step 1: Sign up and set up

1. Go to Open Knowledge Maps.
2. Click on the "Get Started" button on the homepage.
3. You can use the platform without signing up, but if you want to save your maps, click on "Sign Up" in the top right corner.
4. Fill in your email and create a password, or sign up using your Google account.

Step 2: Your first search

1. Once you're on the main page, you'll see a search bar titled "What do you want to learn about?".
2. Type in a topic of interest (e.g., "climate change") and press "Enter" or click the magnifying glass icon.
3. The tool will generate a visual knowledge map displaying clusters of related research papers.
4. Click on any paper in the map to view its details, including the title, authors, and abstract.
5. You can zoom in and out using your mouse scroll wheel or the zoom buttons in the bottom right corner.

Step 3: Get better results

1. Use the filters on the left side of the screen to narrow down your results by publication year or type of research (e.g., journal articles, conference papers).
2. Click on the "Settings" icon in the top right corner to customise your map's layout and visualisation options.
3. If you want to explore related topics, click on the clusters in your map to see how they connect to other areas of research.

Pro tip

When you find a paper that interests you, click on the “Cite” button to quickly get the citation in various formats (APA, MLA, etc.), saving you time on reference management.

Common mistake to avoid

A common mistake is to skip the filters. Not using them can lead to overwhelming results, making it difficult to find the most relevant papers for your research. Always apply filters to refine your search.