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Preserving and Publishing Data

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Why publish your data?

Researchers should consider how to make data that validates research findings and unpublished data of value discoverable and available. Preserving data maintains safe access to valuable data for reuse by those who collected or created the original data. And for others who would like to reuse and understand the data. 

The Research Data Service can provide guidance on where to store the data if you are unsure where is most suitable. 

Where to publish data

  • Your funder may have a preferred repository, check guidance
  • The University has a pilot catalogue for EPSRC funded data
  • Use a discipline-specific repository where possible, search re3data if you aren’t aware of one
  • General purpose repositories where there isn’t a discipline-specific repository

What to consider

  • Where is the data going to be stored?
  • What are the repository’s terms and conditions and do they match funder requirements?
  • Will the dataset be given a permanent location, such as Digital Object Identifier (DOI)?
  • Does the repository provide a data access statement?
  • Can you adequately describe the data?
  • Who will have access to the data?

Benefits to research

The UK Data Service outlines several benefits of sharing data:

  • Encourages scientific enquiry and debate
  • Promotes innovation and potential new data uses
  • Leads to new collaborations between data users and data creators
  • Increases the impact and visibility of research
  • Provides credit to the researcher as a research output in its own right

Benefits to you

  • Data securely stored for a period defined by the University or the funder, normally ten years
  • All data access will be controlled by the repository
  • The data can be easily retrieved for future use by you
  • The data will link to your publication to increase the exposure of your research
  • The data will be discoverable through Google and other search engines to maximise visibility and impact
  • The data can be appropriately cited if used by a secondary user
  • The data will be assigned a Digital Object Identifier, a globally unique string of letters and numbers that identifies only your data

 

Sharing Research Data

Find Research Data Repositories
Documentation and Metadata
Preserve and Publish your Data