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Data sharing, management, use, and reuse: Practices and perceptions of scientists worldwide

Author

Listed:
  • Carol Tenopir
  • Natalie M Rice
  • Suzie Allard
  • Lynn Baird
  • Josh Borycz
  • Lisa Christian
  • Bruce Grant
  • Robert Olendorf
  • Robert J Sandusky

Abstract

Background: With data becoming a centerpiece of modern scientific discovery, data sharing by scientists is now a crucial element of scientific progress. This article aims to provide an in-depth examination of the practices and perceptions of data management, including data storage, data sharing, and data use and reuse by scientists around the world. Methods: The Usability and Assessment Working Group of DataONE, an NSF-funded environmental cyberinfrastructure project, distributed a survey to a multinational and multidisciplinary sample of scientific researchers in a two-waves approach in 2017–2018. We focused our analysis on examining the differences across age groups, sub-disciplines of science, and sectors of employment. Findings: Most respondents displayed what we describe as high and mediocre risk data practices by storing their data on their personal computer, departmental servers or USB drives. Respondents appeared to be satisfied with short-term storage solutions; however, only half of them are satisfied with available mechanisms for storing data beyond the life of the process. Data sharing and data reuse were viewed positively: over 85% of respondents admitted they would be willing to share their data with others and said they would use data collected by others if it could be easily accessed. A vast majority of respondents felt that the lack of access to data generated by other researchers or institutions was a major impediment to progress in science at large, yet only about a half thought that it restricted their own ability to answer scientific questions. Although attitudes towards data sharing and data use and reuse are mostly positive, practice does not always support data storage, sharing, and future reuse. Assistance through data managers or data librarians, readily available data repositories for both long-term and short-term storage, and educational programs for both awareness and to help engender good data practices are clearly needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Carol Tenopir & Natalie M Rice & Suzie Allard & Lynn Baird & Josh Borycz & Lisa Christian & Bruce Grant & Robert Olendorf & Robert J Sandusky, 2020. "Data sharing, management, use, and reuse: Practices and perceptions of scientists worldwide," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0229003
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Renata Gonçalves Curty & Kevin Crowston & Alison Specht & Bruce W Grant & Elizabeth D Dalton, 2017. "Attitudes and norms affecting scientists’ data reuse," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Youngseek Kim & Jeffrey M. Stanton, 2016. "Institutional and individual factors affecting scientists' data-sharing behaviors: A multilevel analysis," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 67(4), pages 776-799, 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.
    4. Jeonghyun Kim & Eric R. Schuler & Anna Pechenina, 2017. "Predictors of Data Sharing and Reuse Behavior in Academic Communities," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Daniel Gelaw Alemneh & Jeff Allen & Suliman Hawamdeh (ed.), Knowledge Discovery and Data Design Innovation Proceedings of the International Conference on Knowledge Management (ICKM 2017), chapter 1, pages 1-25, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    1. Joshua Borycz & Robert Olendorf & Alison Specht & Bruce Grant & Kevin Crowston & Carol Tenopir & Suzie Allard & Natalie M. Rice & Rachael Hu & Robert J. Sandusky, 2023. "Perceived benefits of open data are improving but scientists still lack resources, skills, and rewards," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Gretchen R. Stahlman, 2022. "From nostalgia to knowledge: Considering the personal dimensions of data lifecycles," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(12), pages 1692-1705, December.
    3. Radovan Vrana, 2024. "Research Data Management in the Croatian Academic Community: A Research Study," Publications, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Andrea K. Thomer, 2022. "Integrative data reuse at scientifically significant sites: Case studies at Yellowstone National Park and the La Brea Tar Pits," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(8), pages 1155-1170, August.
    5. Claire M Mason & Paul J Box & Shanae M Burns, 2020. "Research data sharing in the Australian national science agency: Understanding the relative importance of organisational, disciplinary and domain-specific influences," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Kraft-Todd, Gordon T. & Rand, David G., 2021. "Practice what you preach: Credibility-enhancing displays and the growth of open science," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-10.
    7. Pablo Dorta-González & Sara M. González-Betancor & María Isabel Dorta-González, 2021. "To what extent is researchers' data-sharing motivated by formal mechanisms of recognition and credit?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(3), pages 2209-2225, March.

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