The meaning of data “publication”

Stéphane GoldsteinHead of Programmes, RIN

Research Data Management WorkshopUniversity of Oxford

13 June 2008

Sharing can be good…

…even research data

Photo: ryancr on Flickr

The premise

Research outputs take many forms… increasingly soResearch data are one of them, and represent and valuable long-term resourceAs such, there are two reasons for making them as publicly available as possible:

to make them part of the scholarly record, for validating and testingto allow them to be re-used and aggregated by others in new research

The questions

Are they making their data available to others?If so, in what form?If not, why not?What issues do they encounter when taking decisions about their data?

But it is not always clear how researchers are actually behaving with regard to the data that they create:

Publish or “publish”?

The RIN report investigates these issues across a range of disciplinesIt examines the ways that data are made available and disseminated……in other words, how it is “published”……which is not the same as publishing conclusions from data analysis in journals

The report is articulated around four themes

Creating and caring for dataMotivations and constrains for “publishing” dataDiscovery, access and usability of datasetsQuality assurance

Creating and caring for data (1)Researchers create many different kinds and categories of dataData are generated for a multiplicity of purposesBecause of this, there are important distinctions to be made in:

deciding which data should be preserved and sharedhow adding value to data can become less ad hochow the variable quality of metadata can be improved

Policy-makers need to take full account of the different kinds of data researchers produce, the different values they have and the different needs of researchers and other users

Creating and caring for data (2)Long-term viability of data is a critical issueStorage of research data is often ill-thought or haphazardThere are centralised data centres, but they don’t cover all areas, and their survival can never be guaranteedLocal data storage is also possible, but is hindered by shortage of local expertise

There is a need for co-operation between researchers, funders and institutions to ensure that sustainable arrangements are in place to preserve valuable data and make them accessible

Motivations and constraints for “publishing” data

Motivations include:altruismencouragement from peersopportunities for collaborations

But there are also constraints, such as:lack of explicit career rewardswish, in the first instance, to retain exclusive use of the datalegal and/or ethical issuesLack of time, resources, expertise, support services…

Research funders and institutions should actively promote data dissemination and re-use, with measures to incentivise, support or reward good practice among researchers

Discovery, access and usability of datasets

Some publishers already provide persistent links from source data to journal articles……but few researchers have the expertise, resources or inclination to make their own data available and usable by othersOther obstacles to locating or gaining access to datasets include:

inadequate metadatarefusal to release the dataNeed for licences and/or payment of fees

There is scope for publishers to promote ease of access/use of datasets, and a need to clarify confusion regarding access for text-mining tools. The take-up of Web 2.0 applications should be monitored and its implications considered

Quality assurance

No consistent approach to assessing the scholarly content or technical usability of datasetsData centres often apply rigorous quality control procedures, many researchers lack the skills to meet these standards without substantial help from specialists

Need for further work on acceptable approaches to the formal assessment of data across the disciplinary spectrum

The aim is to influence…

Report published earlier this weekDissemination effort over the coming monthsShould be read in conjunction with RIN’s framework of principles on stewardship of digital research data, published in February 2008

Ultimately, it’s all about benefits…

The findings of the report are intended to provide benefits:

Research benefitsthe scholarly recordre-use and aggregation

Economic benefits

Report available at:www.rin.ac.uk/data-publication

Data stewardship principles:www.rin.ac.uk/data-principles

stephane.goldstein@rin.ac.ukwww.rin.ac.uk