Why Share Data?
Sharing research data leads to:
• Greater impact and visibility of research that created the data and its outcomes
• Innovation and potential new data uses
• New collaborations between data users and data creators
• Transparency and accountability in research
• Reduced cost in duplication of data
• Educational resources for learning and training
Research data are a valuable resource, usually requiring much time and money to be produced. Many data have a significant value beyond usage for the original research.
The ease with which digital data can be stored, disseminated and made easily accessible online to users means that many institutions are keen to share research data to increase the impact and visibility of their research.
Adapted from: UK Data Archive
Considerations When Sharing Data
When should I consider not sharing my data?
There may be occasions when you should consider not sharing your data:
- If your research data is potentially commercially valuable or exploitable by the University
- Seek advice from Knowledge Mobilization and/or Research Impact.
- If there are ethical issues, legal issues, time constraints and other issues which could limit data sharing opportunities
- Check with Office of Research Ethics.
- If there are conditions of confidentiality (eg. through industrial sponsors) attached to the funding of your research.
Often, sensitive and confidential data can be shared ethically if informed consent for data sharing has been given, or by anonymising research data.
Adapted from: University of Oxford
For more considerations for sharing research data, see: MANTRA, University of Nottingham
How to Share Your Data
Making data accessible to others
To researchers:
- Depositing your data in public data centres or archives will help increase the chances of your data being made widely available to a range of individuals. You may also consider depositing your data in your institutional repository.
- Alternatively, you may allow others to download your data from a web page (if you have one) or provide details of how they can contact you directly to request the data from you, for example via email.
- York University Libraries Digitization
- Digitization best practices
To collaborators:
- Portable storage devices such as Memory sticks or CDs. Refer to the data security section to ensure your data is transported safely.
- Online file sharing facilities that are supported by the University include:
- Online cloud storage such as Dropbox, Google Docs.
Adapted from: University of Nottingham
