Frequently Asked Questions
Use the links in the topic to find the answers to frequently asked questions and learn how to perform common tasks in PSDI.
Citing PSDI
How do I cite or acknowledge use of PSDI resources?
If you use PSDI resources in your research, please acknowledge us by putting the following statement in any publications you create:
"We wish to acknowledge the use of the EPSRC funded Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI) hosted by the University of Southampton and STFC under grant numbers EPSRC grants EP/X032701/1, EP/X032663/1 and EP/W032252/1."
Continued provision of the Service does rely on its relevance to the community, so please do acknowledge the Service when appropriate. If you have examples of where you use PSDI in your scientific research, but do not have publications you can always contact us on support@psdi.ac.uk to let us know!
Some of the data sources may have additional acknowledgment or citation requirements so ensure you read the terms & conditions for the individual resources. A Citation* field is available on the entry for some resources in the What we Provide page.
Accessing PSDI resources
Who can access PSDI resources?
The majority of our resources are openly accessible, and can be accessed by anyone.
Our restricted access resources (or resource functions) require a PSDI account which are currently available to UK academics. If a resource, or function within a resource, requires a PSDI account to access, you will be prompted to create a PSDI account and log into the account before you can use it.
Can my students use PSDI?
Yes your students can use PSDI.
I'm from outside of the UK, am I eligible to use PSDI?
You can use our openly accessible resources, but not currently our login required features.
I'm an alumni of a university, can I use PSDI?
You can use our openly accessible resources, but not currently our login required features.
How do I register?
If registration is required for any feature in PSDI you can register for an account on the log in screen for the individual resources.
I have registered but not received an email yet
You should have received an email to verify your email. Please check your spam folder to see if it has gone there. This is a time limited link so you may need to request the email is resent the email.
If your account is pending verification our team will look to review this as soon as possible. If you did not register with a UK academic email address, we are currently unable to activate your account.
Problems with institutional access
If you are experiencing a problem with institutional access, please try again later to see if it is an intermittent issue. If it continues, please contact PSDI support by emailing support@psdi.ac.uk.
My PSDI account
How can I reset my password?
For users who log into PSDI with an institutional login you cannot change your password with PSDI. If you want to change your password you must do this on your institutional account.
For users with a local PSDI account you can use the Forgot Password? functionality on the login page.
How can I change details in my account?
If your details have changed, please contact the PSDI support team on support@psdi.ac.uk who can assist in changing your profile details.
Using PSDI Interactive Learning on Moodle
Who can access courses on PSDI Interactive Learning on Moodle?
Some courses on Moodle are available as either a guest or a logged in user. Guest access will allow you to see course content but not to take quizzes or track your progress through the course.
Guest access is available to all, logged in access is available currently to all UK academics.
How do I create an account on PSDI Interactive Learning on Moodle?
You can register to use the Moodle via a PSDI account:
- On the login screen, click login with OpenID connect, this open the PSDI login and registration page.
- The first time you have successfully logged into PSDI, you must verify your profile details.
Can I use courses on PSDI Interactive Learning on Moodle with my students?
Yes, you can use these courses with students. Eligible students can register for PSDI accounts on the PSDI Moodle platform and independently access the available courses.
How can I change details in my account?
If your details have changed, please contact the PSDI support team on support@psdi.ac.uk who can assist in changing your profile details.
Using PSDI resources
How do I find PSDI resources?
The resources provided by PSDI are accessible from the What we Provide navigation link on the main PSDI website. You can also go directly to the What we Provide page. You can view All Resources that PSDI provides, or you can narrow the list down by selecting the resource type, choosing a resource theme, performing a keyword search, or filtering by different criteria.
How do I use PSDI resources?
You can find instructions for using some of the PSDI resources, such as the PSDI Cross Data Search and the PSDI Data Conversion Service in the PSDI Resources section of the Guidance topics in this Knowledge Base. Other resources have their own documentation and associated guidance, which can be found by following the links provided in their entry in the What we Provide page.
No way to start a new search in the Cross Data Search Service
We are working to address this issue to make it possible to clear a search query constrains and existing search results. Unfortunately this is currently a manual process where you need to clear the existing on the constraints before you select new constraints, or a new search query type.
Get involved in PSDI
How do I find out about PSDI events?
You can find out about upcoming events on our Events page on our website. You can also see information about previous events and our latest news and our social media channels to find out which events we are running or attending.
How do I get the latest news?
How do I join the mailing list?
You can join our mailing list on JISCmail for updates, information about upcoming events, and funding opportunities.
How do I contribute to PSDI?
Do you have a data collection, service, tool, guidance collection, course, or idea for an event to run with the community? Use our Contact form to let us know!
- Creator: Cerys Willoughby
- Last modified date: 2025-03-24
If you would like to contribute content to the PSDI Knowledge Base or have feedback you would like to give on this guidance, please contact us.