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Data sharing in PLOS ONE: An analysis of Data Availability Statements

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  • Lisa M Federer
  • Christopher W Belter
  • Douglas J Joubert
  • Alicia Livinski
  • Ya-Ling Lu
  • Lissa N Snyders
  • Holly Thompson

Abstract

A number of publishers and funders, including PLOS, have recently adopted policies requiring researchers to share the data underlying their results and publications. Such policies help increase the reproducibility of the published literature, as well as make a larger body of data available for reuse and re-analysis. In this study, we evaluate the extent to which authors have complied with this policy by analyzing Data Availability Statements from 47,593 papers published in PLOS ONE between March 2014 (when the policy went into effect) and May 2016. Our analysis shows that compliance with the policy has increased, with a significant decline over time in papers that did not include a Data Availability Statement. However, only about 20% of statements indicate that data are deposited in a repository, which the PLOS policy states is the preferred method. More commonly, authors state that their data are in the paper itself or in the supplemental information, though it is unclear whether these data meet the level of sharing required in the PLOS policy. These findings suggest that additional review of Data Availability Statements or more stringent policies may be needed to increase data sharing.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa M Federer & Christopher W Belter & Douglas J Joubert & Alicia Livinski & Ya-Ling Lu & Lissa N Snyders & Holly Thompson, 2018. "Data sharing in PLOS ONE: An analysis of Data Availability Statements," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(5), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0194768
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194768
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lisa M Federer & Ya-Ling Lu & Douglas J Joubert & Judith Welsh & Barbara Brandys, 2015. "Biomedical Data Sharing and Reuse: Attitudes and Practices of Clinical and Scientific Research Staff," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    2. David Giofrè & Geoff Cumming & Luca Fresc & Ingrid Boedker & Patrizio Tressoldi, 2017. "The influence of journal submission guidelines on authors' reporting of statistics and use of open research practices," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, April.
    3. Carol Tenopir & Elizabeth D Dalton & Suzie Allard & Mike Frame & Ivanka Pjesivac & Ben Birch & Danielle Pollock & Kristina Dorsett, 2015. "Changes in Data Sharing and Data Reuse Practices and Perceptions among Scientists Worldwide," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-24, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Keren Weinshall & Lee Epstein, 2020. "Developing High‐Quality Data Infrastructure for Legal Analytics: Introducing the Israeli Supreme Court Database," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 416-434, June.
    3. Rut Lucas-Dominguez & Adolfo Alonso-Arroyo & Antonio Vidal-Infer & Rafael Aleixandre-Benavent, 2021. "The sharing of research data facing the COVID-19 pandemic," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(6), pages 4975-4990, June.
    4. Armel Lefebvre & Marco Spruit, 2023. "Laboratory Forensics for Open Science Readiness: an Investigative Approach to Research Data Management," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 381-399, February.
    5. Brian Jackson, 2021. "Open Data Policies among Library and Information Science Journals," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-12, June.
    6. Sixto-Costoya Andrea & Robinson-Garcia Nicolas & Leeuwen Thed & Costas Rodrigo, 2021. "Exploring the relevance of ORCID as a source of study of data sharing activities at the individual-level: a methodological discussion," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(8), pages 7149-7165, August.
    7. Andrea Sixto-Costoya & Rafael Aleixandre-Benavent & Rut Lucas-Domínguez & Antonio Vidal-Infer, 2020. "The Emergency Medicine Facing the Challenge of Open Science," Data, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-7, March.

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