Custom Datasets

A custom dataset is a collection of documents from Web of Science Core Collection that you define. You can perform the same analyses on a custom dataset that you can perform on the full InCites dataset.

There are two ways to create a custom dataset:

  • Search Web of Science Core Collection for documents and use the Save to InCites feature to create the dataset.
  • From InCites, upload a file of document identifiers.

Both methods require a subscription to Web of Science Core Collection.

A user account is limited to 20 custom datasets. To delete an existing dataset, please follow the instructions outlined here.

Save to InCites from Web of Science Core Collection

  1. Sign in to Web of Science Core Collection. To use the Save to InCites feature, you must be a registered user and you must sign in. 
  2. Perform a search. Limit retrieval to documents published 1980 or later. 
  3. Select Save to InCites.
  4. In the Save to InCites window, accept the default dataset name or create a new one.
  5. Click Save.

All of the documents retrieved by the search will be added to the custom dataset (up to 50,000). If you want only selected documents, use the Marked List feature to select individual documents. Then from the Marked List select Save to InCites.

Upload a File of Identifiers

A custom dataset can be created from a list of document identifiers that you compile. There are three valid identifiers:

  • Web of Science Core Collection accession number. Example: WOS:000388713500004
  • MEDLINE ID (PubMed ID). Example: MEDLINE:24843332
  • DOI. Example: 10.1088/1478-3975/13/6/066006

The format of the file you upload must be *.csv or *.txt with UTF-8 encoding. Each identifier should be on a separate line. For example:

WOS:000392814200386 WOS:000387787800005 WOS:000392822200011 WOS:000382515400006 WOS:000388670600002 WOS:000376696400044 WOS:000377199600019 WOS:000378041700007 WOS:000374276600004 WOS:000382142100018 WOS:000378294500001

The file can contain different types of identifiers. For example:

10.1086/683691 WOS:000370997500004 MEDLINE:26575520 WOS:000366161100002 MEDLINE:26145199 10.1007/s10286-015-0312-z 10.1097/WNP.0000000000000204 MEDLINE:26293003 MEDLINE:26040636

The publication year of documents in a custom dataset must be 1980 or later. In addition, the maximum number of records in a custom dataset is 50,000.

To upload the file:

  1. In InCites, go to My Folders.
  2. Click the Create button and select Dataset.
  3. In the Upload Custom Dataset window, click Choose File. 
  4. Navigate to the folder on your computer or network that contains the file.
  5. Enter a name for the custom dataset.
  6. Click Upload.
  7. Once created, the custom dataset will appear in the My Items folder.

You will receive an email notifying you that the dataset has been created. You should check that email because it is possible that not all identifiers you supplied have matching documents in the InCites dataset. A match will not be found if:

  • There are duplicate identifiers in the list
  • Two or more identifiers match the same document
  • The identifier represents an article from a publication not covered in Web of Science Core Collection.
  • The identifier matches a record recently added to Web of Science Core Collection. Web of Science Core Collection is updated more frequently than InCites.