Data Repository
If you wish to make your data openly available, increase the visibility of your research, make your data FAIR, and comply with funder requirements, you may consider to publish your data in a data repository. Data repositories contribute to the openness, transparency, and reproducibility of research by providing a standardized and accessible way to share and store data, fostering a more interconnected and impactful scientific community.
Benefits of using data repository:
- Secure and reliable way to store and manage your data
- Long-term data preservation
- Access control and easy sharing with scientific community
- Promotion and help with adhering to FAIR principles
- A persistent identifier (e.g. DOI, Handle) will be assigned to your dataset, which provides a permanent link to the data, making your data findable and citable.
- Option to choose suitable license, providing clarity for the potential user of your data whether and how re-use of your data is permitted (see licenses).
- The requirement to add appropriate metadata to the data.
Available repositories
There are various data repositories available, some of which are listed below. While these repositories differ in their options for restricted access and, for example, size of data storage, the type of data you want to deposit should be considered.
Before uploading your data into a repository, make sure that you data is suitable for making them openly available. For example, datasets containing personal data or (privacy-)sensitive data require additional attention. They may be published for example under restricted access, or only a description or metadata of the data with an explanation on how the data can be shared. You can also check Re3data.org for an overview of data repositories or contact the data stewards of the RDM support team for a tailored advice.
4TU.ResearchData
A Dutch repository for research data initiated by the Dutch technological universities (Eindhoven, Delft, Twente). The repository has received the Data Seal of Approval (guaranteeing long-term storage) and provides restricted access options and flexibility in license choice. Datasets generally come from the fields of engineering and technology but are open to all sciences, are stored in the Netherlands for a minimum of 15 years and are assigned a DOI. Researchers affiliated to the universities of technology in Eindhoven can deposit up to 100 GB of data per year free of charge, where for larger datasets there is a one-off cost of €3/GB (for 15 years storage). 4TU.ResearchData can also be synced with your GitHub account.
Please check the demo video to learn how to use the 4TU.ResearchData repository software.
DANS – EASY
The Dutch Archiving and Network Services – Electronic Archiving SYstem is a data repository initially conceived for the social sciences and humanities but now intended for all fields of research. The repository has a Core Trust Seal with various options for restricted access and licenses (CC0 if not under restricted access). Data is stored in the Netherlands for an indefinite time and assigned a DOI. Researchers can deposit datasets for free up to 50 GB, where deposition of larger datasets needs to first be consulted.
Zenodo
A European initiative providing a data repository for research data from all fields. Zenodo can also be connected to GitHub, enabling code citation from GitHub (https://guides.github.com/activities/citable-code/). The repository allows for restricted access and a choice from a variety of licenses. Datasets are stored within the EU, are preserved for a minimum of ten years, and assigned a DOI. Research data up to 50 GB can be stored for free, but deposition of larger datasets must be negotiated.
Dryad
An American non-profit organization with an international repository mainly focused on the life sciences. Only datasets underlying publications are accepted for deposition, and Dryad is the repository used by various publishers. The repository does not allow for restricted access and data can only be published under a CC0 license. Data is not stored in the EU but is stored indefinitely with a DOI. Large datafiles (up to 300 GB) can be stored at a one-off cost of $120 USD.
When choosing a repository for your data, be sure to think of the criteria the repository needs to meet in terms of your data, funders and journal editors (e.g. assigning a DOI, adding adequate metadata, and being able to select a license). You can ask your peers if they know discipline-specific repositories that are commonly used in your field of research but make sure these repositories meet your criteria.
Registration of your dataset in PURE
Once you have published, archived or deposited research data in a data repository, please register your research data in Pure. Pure is the source system for registration of all forms of TU/e research output, including research data. Please note that Pure is intended for the registration of records of datasets or data collections. Do not use Pure to archive the actual data. The actual data must be deposited in a data repository. If you have not done this yet, please do this first.
In many cases, your research data will be part of or be related to other research output (for example, a journal publication or the underlying research data published in a data repository). In Pure you can easily link research output that is related to each other or part of a larger project. At the bottom of the registration form, a field called Relations to other content is shown; this allows you to link research datasets to papers, book chapters, a PhD or master thesis, etc. The exact details on how to do this are explained here.
For further questions about repositories or registering your dataset in Pure, please contact the data stewards of the RDM support team (rdmsupport@tue.nl).