Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 24.4
Responses to query “How do you presently store your digital research data for future
access and use, it al all? (multiple answers possible)”
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Citability: with persistent identification, preserved data can be found and re-used
any time and any place. Based on the science data infrastructure, data sets could
be cited as well. This way, a researcher gains extra visibility and can receive
credits for publishing the data.
This requires several organisational components to be put in place:
1. Policies: in some countries mandates exist for depositing research data and in
some cases funding agencies require so. But clearly, this shall not be enough as
certainly not all researchers seem to obey the mandate.
2. Robust and reliable deposit places, where researchers can be sure their data will
not get lost, be corrupted or misused. Reliable also means with the right access
mechanisms, perhaps even some kind of access permission system for retrieval
via the creator of the data. In response to being asked where they would like to
store their data, the three best scoring options are: digital archive of their institute
(63%), discipline based archive (60%) and at the publisher (47%).
3. Elements that increase comfort levels so that new users will know how to use
and interpret the available data. And that new users will not take these data out
of context. This could be achieved by a good linking system between the data
and all publications that exist for and mention these data. In the survey, some
96% of respondents say they publish about their data in journals of publishers -
surely these articles will contain a section on methods and protocols where new
users can find how the data were gathered, if there are any restrictions on how to
(re)use them and what the context of these research data is.
4. Communication and awareness around these issues.
5. Have publication of data as valued and referenced as is a publication of a paper
in a journal.
