Be clear about your data: always use a data availability statement
10/10/2022
Data availability statements, also known as data access statements, are included in publications to describe where the data associated with the paper is available, and under what conditions the data can be accessed. They are required by many funders and scientific journals as well as the UKRI Common Principles on Data Policy.
From 1 April 2022, anyone receiving UKRI funding has been required to include a Data Access Statement (DAS) to in-scope research articles , even where there are no data associated with the article or the data are inaccessible (as described in a previous post).
Cranfield University’s Open Access Policy similarly holds researchers responsible for ‘Ensuring published results always include a statement on how and on what terms supporting data may be accessed.’
The exact wording of your DAS is required when you apply to the Library for funding to pay an article processing charge (APC). It’s essential, therefore, that researchers have read and understood the guidelines on data statements before applying for APC funding.
This supports the FAIR Data Principles which were developed and endorsed by researchers, publishers, funding agencies and industry partners in 2016, from a Nature Scientific Data publication, and are designed to enhance the value of all digital resources. It should be possible for humans and machines to gain access to your data, under specific conditions or restrictions where appropriate.
FAIR does not mean that data need to be open, however metadata should be present, even if the data aren’t accessible.
To support the message ‘Be clear about your data: always use a data availability statement’, researchers can take advantage of a Compliancy Health Check on any publication until the end of 2022. Book a Compliancy Health Check either in-person or virtually; alternately, researchers are welcome to email researchdata@cranfield.ac.uk to have any query relating to their data availability statement answered.
Photo by Myriam Jessier on Unsplash.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Frameworks to help you critically evaluate your sources
With so much information available, it can be challenging to identify reliable sources. Not all information is trustworthy, so it is important to critically evaluate what you find. Library Search and our subscription databases can ...
Mastering the art of revising your writing
You’ve done the research and written your first draft. Now it’s time for one of the most crucial jobs as a writer - revising your writing to ensure your reader does not have to work ...
Using AI tools for your literature review
There are a proliferation of AI tools that can help you organise your life, work and study. This post focuses on academic or scholarly tools that have been developed to enhance the literature searching process, whether for independent research, an assignment or thesis. Bear in mind that these predominantly relate to finding journal/research papers, and not technical, business or trade sources such as standards, market research, industry reports or financial data. So ...
Finding successful past Cranfield theses
It’s always a good idea to look at examples of theses before you start work on your own. You may find them valuable for reading previous research, and for looking at structure, style and methodology. ...
On‑campus or off‑campus? How Cranfield students found their home away from home
Finding the right place to live is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as you begin your student journey. Whether you’re looking for the convenience and community of living on-campus or the independence ...
Avoiding common referencing errors
As librarians, we get to see the full spectrum of reference lists in student work —from exemplary to … well, let’s just say, works still very much in progress! We are experts in spotting mistakes ...