This page addresses common approaches for sharing research data. It is organized into two sections:
Each box below begins with "quick facts" about the section, followed by multiple tabs to explore the topic.
A repository is a database intended for long-term preservation.
Typically, researchers are not equipped to take on the long-term care that data needs in order to remain intact and re-useable. Instead, professional repositories have the mission and technical capabilities to properly store and manage the data. This includes aspects such as fixity checks, format migration, and providing a persistent link.
Repositories are generally either categorized as general-use, meaning they accept data from any discipline, or disciplinary repositories, which focus on a particular research field.
Expand the panels below for more information about each type of repository:
When determining where to deposit your data it is important to consider where your colleagues are most likely to find and make use of your data. Disciplinary repositories have some sort of theme or common element to the data that they will accept; however, what that guiding principle is can be different across disciplinary repositories. These different themes can include:
Generalists repositories, on the other hand, will accept any type of data and from any discipline or subject area, including inter-disciplinary data. They do not have any particular collection themes, and so they can contain a very broad and diverse collection of data. To help improve the findability of your data, it is recommended that researchers use a disciplinary repository option when there is one available. Some universities also have institutional repositories, which are typically general-use repositories designated for only by researchers affiliated with that institution.
This section provides additional details about types of data repositories and how to find and evaluate a repository that meets your needs.
The first thing to do when selecting a repository is to check if your funding agency has any requirements about where you should be sharing your data. If they specify a repository that they want you to use, then that is the repository you should select.
Sometimes a funder may not require a certain repository, but they have one they recommend or that they otherwise sponsor. Again, if your funding agency points you to any particular repository, that is a good option to use.
Most funder required repositories would also be considered to be a type of disciplinary repository.
If there is not a repository that is either required or suggested by your funder, the next step would be to look for any discipline-specific repository options. Some disciplines or research areas may have a certain repository that it is customary to use. Even if your discipline doesn't have a repository they typically use, you may also be able to find a repository that specializes in the type of data you will be creating, such as images, fluroscopy, etc.
There are several tools available for searching disciplinary data repositories:
Ohio State Support
Ohio State is an institutional member the disciplinary repository Qualitative Data Repository. Affiliated researchers with qualitative data can deposit data for free to this repository, including complimentary curation.
Check out the Ohio State Resources page for more information.
If there is not a repository that is either required or suggested by your funder, and there is not a good disciplinary option available (e.g. your research is interdisciplinary, there is not a disciplinary option that matches what you are doing), then the next option would be to use a generalist repository.
As their name implies, generalist repositories accept data from across disciplines and do not have a subject-specific focus.
Ohio State Support
Ohio State is an institutional member of the generalist data repository Dryad. Affiliated researchers can deposit data for free to this repository, including complimentary curation.
Check out the Ohio State Resources page for more information.
If none of the above options match your research data, or you are otherwise unsure of what the best option might be, then your next step should be to schedule a consultation to discuss your specific project and identify possible solutions. This may be the case when your data is too big or too sensitive to deposit in a generalist repository, but there is not a good funder-based or disciplinary option available.
Ohio State Support
Ohio State provides one-on-one consultation to help researchers with the process of selecting a suitable data repository.
Send an email to datamanagement@osu.edu to schedule a consultation or check out the Ohio State Resources page for more information.
Expand the panels below for criteria to consider when evaluating a repository.
Does this repository charge a fee? How much does it cost?
Ohio State Support
Ohio State is an institutional member of two data repositories: Dryad and the Qualitative Data Repository. Affiliated researchers can deposit data for free to these repositories, including complementary curation.
Check out the Ohio State Resources page for more information.
Does the repository have any relevant limits, such as individual file limits or overall project limits?
Does the repository mediate access to ensure authorized use? Or will my data be open for anyone to view?
What terms will potential users of the data have to agree to?
Is the data browsable? In other words, will other people be able to find a record of the data in some type of catalog or online listing?
Does the repository assign some type of persistent and unique identifier to the data?
Will the repository provide any support when preparing my data for deposit, or the actual uploading process?
Does the repository appear to have some policies in place?
Figures and tables published with a journal article are analyzed, edited, and formatted to illustrate researchers’ conclusions. In contrast, the research data required to meet data sharing requirements is usually the data used to produce these figures and tables. This is the data that another researcher would need to verify and replicate the findings of the research findings that are conveyed through figures and tables.
In general, publishing data within a journal article or as a supplementary file will usually not meet funder requirements for data sharing. However, it may still be required by the publisher. With both funder and journal data publishing requirements evolving rapidly, it is important to crosscheck journal, funder, and repository requirements to ensure all policies are followed.
Researchers who maintain a website on their research may want to post data or data visualizations to these pages so that all of the information for a study can be found in one place. This approach on its own generally does meet funder requirements for data sharing because of the following challenges:
However, personal websites do offer greater flexibility in hosting dynamic content like dashboards, maps, and other interactive visualizations. When you publish your data with a repository, you retain your rights to also display it through other places like a website. Just be sure to cite the version in the repository so others know where to find it!
For many years it was common to meet data sharing requirements by including a statement that the data will be available to other researchers upon request. However, numerous studies have found that data shared in this manner is rarely accessible. Commons challenges include:
It may still be appropriate to share data by request during an active study, but long-term data publication now requires the use of established data repositories. Data repositories are equipped to address these challenges by ensuring data is preserved and openly discoverable online. Some repositories can also process data requests that are necessary to ensure the security of sensitive data.