A presentation about research data management and sharing at the University of Queensland.

1. DATA SHARING AND DATA MANAGEMENT –
WHAT ARE THEY ALL ABOUT?
A joint presentation from the University of Queensland Library‘s
Scholarly Publishing and Digitisation Service and the
Research Information Service.
Reproduced or adapted from original copyright content provided under Creative Commons licence by The University of Queensland Library

2. Increasingly, data sharing is expected
by journal publishers
by funding bodies
by governments
by other researchers
by the public
But why is it important?
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3. BECAUSE, INCREASINGLY, YOU NEED THE
DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE RESEARCH
Geoffrey Boulton* argues that since no journal can spare the space
to publish the avalanche of data points that large-scale scientific
experiments produce, the published paper has become more
of an "advertisement" and the "science sits in the
underlying data".
* Quoted in An open and shut case? Debating the purposes of open science, a
Royal Society PolicyLab meeting (mp3 file).
http://downloads.royalsociety.org/audio/Policy/policylab/2011-9-01SPSOpenScience.mp3
Geoffrey Boulton is a Fellow of the Royal Society and is currently leading the
Society's project, Science as a Public Enterprise.
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4. WHY SHOULD RESEARCHERS SHARE DATA?
―The volume of scientific data, and the inter-
connectedness of the systems under study, makes
integration of data a necessity.
―… life scientists must integrate data from across
biology and chemistry to comprehend disease and
discover cures, and climate change scientists
must integratedata from wildly
diverse disciplines to understand our
current state and predict the impact of new
policies.‖
Science Commons, Protocol for Implementing Open Access Data,
http://sciencecommons.org/projects/publishing/open-access-data-protocol/
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5. WHY DON’T RESEARCHERS SHARE DATA?
―We find ourselves in a slightly
perverse situation where Scientists have tended to regard
scientists are very strongly their data as personal property.
incentivised to create peer- After all, it is they who worked
reviewed publications, but not hard to generate it—and
to share information in other ownership has never been
ways.‖ seriously challenged.
Timo Hannay Geoffrey Boulton et al (2011) ‗Science
Nature Publishing Group, quoted as a public enterprise: the case for open
in www.growingknowledge.bl.uk data‘, The Lancet, 377 (9778) : 1633-
1635.
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60647-8
―Much more is understood about why
researchers do not share data than
about when, why, and how
researchers do share data …‖
Christine Borgman 2011 ‗The conundrum
of sharing research data‘, (unpublished paper)
http://works.bepress.com/borgman/244/
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6. RESEARCHERS WORRY ABOUT …
No incentives
• data sharing is not yet valued in the promotion or tenure process
No time
• for data clean up, managing requests, handling enquiries
Loss of control
• risks of data theft, misrepresentation, lack of attribution
Legal concerns
• copyright, IP, ownership, commercialisation, contracts
Ethical concerns
• confidentiality agreements, fear of accidental disclosure
Lack of mechanisms
• inadequate infrastructure, lack of advice
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7. DO RESEARCHERS HAVE TO SHARE DATA?
Increasingly, data sharing is expected ... How, when, and what you
share will depend on:
Formats – digital data is probably easier to share
Restrictions, such as confidentiality, commercialisation
Funder and publisher agreements
Customary embargo periods
Availability of repositories or other means for sharing
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8. BENEFITS OF DATA SHARING – TO YOU
• Makes your research better known, which may
attract grants and collaborators, and citizens who
want to help answer your questions (crowd-sourcing)
• Demonstrates the continuing use of your data and
the relevance of your research
DATA SHARING THROUGH A REPOSITORY
• Lets you focus on research instead of having to
manage the data itself, or manage requests for data
• Safeguards your investment of time and resources
• Preserves your data – for your own benefit as well
as others
Reproduced or adapted from original copyright content provided under Creative Commons licence by The University of Queensland Library

9. BENEFITS OF DATA SHARING - TO RESEARCH
• data sharing makes new kinds of
new areas of research
research possible
data collection • greater volumes can be managed
data ―mash ups‖ • different data can be combined
research collaboration • work across continents and
disciplines
data analysis • greater scale is achievable
• crowd-sourcing can generate, crunch and
―citizen‖ science fund your data
saves time • improves research efficiency
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10. REASONS TO OPEN DATA UP
―First, technology has made computer code and large datasets more
important to science and has opened up the prospect of sharing
code and data at the click of a mouse.
―Second, there is public interest in making data available to other
scientists to validate findings or re-use the data in new ways to
advance knowledge.
―Third, much modern science is created using public funds, which
should oblige scientists to maximise the utility of their findings for the
public good.
―And last …there are many competent members of the public who wish
to test for themselves some of the pronouncements of scientists by
analysing the data on which such pronouncements are based.‖
Geoffrey Boulton et al (2011) Science as a public enterprise: the case for open
data, The Lancet, 377 (9778) : 1633-1635. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60647-8
Reproduced or adapted from original copyright content provided under Creative Commons licence by The University of Queensland Library

11. DATA SHARING CAN BE ACHIEVED BY :
Publishing Datasets as Linking to
findings in supplements to datasets from
journals and at journal journal
conferences publications publications
Sharing data
Depositing data in
Assigning DOIs to informally with
a public repository
datasets colleagues or on
or archive
request
Offering data with
Posting datasets
different levels of
on public Web
access, e.g. de-
sites
identified data
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12. ―Science is driven by data … society now relies on
scientific data of diverse kinds; for example, in responding
to disease outbreaks, managing resources, responding to
climate change, and improving transportation.
―It is obvious that making data widely available is an
essential element of scientific research.‖
Science editorial Making Data Maximally Available, 11 February 2011, 331 (6018): 649.
DOI: 10.1126/science.1203354
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13. … WHICH MEANS DATA HAS TO BE MANAGED
According to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of
Research :
2.6 ―Researchers must manage research data and primary materials …‖
Compliance with the Code is now a prerequisite for acceptance of
National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian
research Council funding.
Research funding agencies, such as the US National Science
Foundation, now expect data management plans to be lodged as
part of funding proposals.
This may soon happen in Australia.
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14. WHO WANTS YOUR DATA?
Just about everyone!
Submitting a proposal to Publishing in a Nature
the ARC ? journal?
You must describe how you will ―… authors are required to make
share your research data (or materials, data and associated
explain why you cannot share protocols promptly available to
data). readers.‖
The Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research states:
2. The potential value of the material for further research should also
be considered, particularly where the research would be difficult or
impossible to repeat.
2.5.2 Research data should be made available for use by other
researchers unless this is prevented by ethical, privacy or
confidentiality matters.
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15. So … having a data management
plan is important.
A data management plan outlines how you will collect, organise,
manage, store, secure, back up, preserve and share your data.
It should
describe the data so others can understand its scope
identify the person responsible for data management
list any tools or software needed to create, process or visualise the
data
document compliance with relevant policies, legislation, codes of
conduct and ethical guidelines
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16. ARE THERE UQ TEMPLATES OR
CHECKLISTS YOU CAN USE?
Checklists, templates and other tools for creating plans are
currently being developed.
Final documentation will be available once UQ‘s research
data management policy is approved.
In the meantime, check with your Research Information
Service librarian who can help you
• draft a basic plan
• advise you about the training on offer
• refer you to expert advice, including our factsheets
Reproduced or adapted from original copyright content provided under Creative Commons licence by The University of Queensland Library

17. STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Please contact
us – we want to
help !
• Research Information Service
http://www.library.uq.edu.au/ris/index.html
• Scholarly Publishing and Digitisation Service
http://www.library.uq.edu.au/about/spads.html
Reproduced or adapted from original copyright content provided under Creative Commons licence by The University of Queensland Library