by Lisa Abler, Assistant Scientist, Dept. of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine
Researchers are increasingly exposed to the concepts of research data sharing and open data. Funders, publishers, research institutions and possibly even colleagues are introducing these phrases. Often, the differences between these concepts can be confusing, and understanding how one or both could affect your research may be a mystery. The following provides definitions, some benefits to researchers and a list of resources for learning more about these topics, as well as why and how to implement them for your lab.
What is Research Data Sharing?
Research data sharing is the act of making your research data available to others for reuse. There are a number of aspects that factor into data sharing:
- Which data to share: raw data, processed data, both?
- How to share the data: lab meetings, scientific meetings, journal publication, online databases?
- With whom to share: coworkers, collaborators, peers, funders, the public?
- How soon to share: immediately, after ensuring your own lab’s publishing needs are met, never?
There are also restrictions that may apply to data sharing at many levels, from institutions to publishers to the federal government (e.g., privacy). Fortunately, there are resources to help navigate these restrictions. See what UW-Madison, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Oregon have to offer on this topic:
- UW-Madison Research Data Services: Data Sharing Essentials
- Johns Hopkins University Data Management Services: About Sharing Your Research Data
- University of Oregon Libraries: Sharing Data
What is Open Data?
As defined by The Open Definition, “Open data and content can be freely used, modified, and shared by anyone for any purpose.” In essence, open data is an unrestricted mode of research data sharing. The most important points to consider when making data open include:
- Availability: Data must be available to anyone to use, with no restrictions based on person, group or undertaking
- Access and usability: Data must be accessible, preferably downloadable over the Internet, and must be available as a whole, in a reusable format, for a reasonable reproduction cost
- Licensing: Data must be made available as a whole and licensing must allow utilization without restrictions on use (i.e., in whole or in part), redistribution or modification
What are the benefits of sharing my data?
There are many potential benefits to sharing your research data:
- Increases recognition through citation of datasets
- Facilitates the exchange of ideas and sharing of expertise among peers
- May be required by research funders or publishers
- Increases visibility of and interest in your research, especially in a global research environment
- Provides evidence of research findings, as well as opportunities for verification or validation
- May allow opportunities for reciprocity; by sharing your data to further research, others may be willing to share with you
- Can encourage collaborations or co-authorships
- Can accelerate discovery if many qualified scientists are working on a common problem, particularly data analysis in complex fields
- Avoids experimental duplications, especially in the case of negative findings or failed experiments
- Sharing data is central to scientific progress, benefiting both research endeavors and the public
Where can I find more information?
Research Data Sharing
- Funding agencies
- Organizations
- Research Data Alliance (RDA) A group of members from academia, industry and government who, through Working Groups and Interest Groups, strive to enable data sharing across barriers, from geography to discipline to domain.
- UW-Madison Policies
- Policy on Open Research and Free Interchange of Information
- Policy on Tangible Research Property (including policy regarding openness in research and compliance with sharing guidelines)
Open Data
- Organizations
- The Open Data Foundation A non-profit working to develop standards and open data solutions across many fields, with a focus on statistical data.
- Open Data Commons Offers legal tools to provide and utilize open data.
- Other Resources
- Open Data Handbook A handbook outlining the what, why and how of open data, with discussions of the “legal, social and technical aspects of open data.”
- Creative Commons Updates – Science A list of publishers, projects and organizations that are working with Creative Commons to share data openly. CC also has a science portal wiki and a science section of their blog for resources and news about CC and open data.
Further Reading
- Sowing the Seed: Incentives and Motivations for Sharing Research Data, A Researcher’s Perspective (Knowledge Exchange, 2014)
A collection of case studies across five disciplines (and European countries) to identify barriers and enablers to research data sharing and to examine motivations and incentives that encourage data sharing. Includes recommendations for academic disciplines, research institutions and data repositories. - Establishing Incentives and Changing Cultures to Support Data Access (Wellcome Trust, 2014)
An analysis involving reviews of previous reports, interviews, focus groups and a web survey to elucidate factors that help or hinder research data sharing and to indentify potential incentives to facilitate data access and sharing. Includes recommendations for research institutions and research leaders.