Once you have collected and analysed your own primary data, you may want to share it publicly so that other researchers and practitioners can benefit from this resource. In fact, many donors or other partners require that you share data collected through your projects. Preparing your data to share publicly can require significant time and effort, but it provides a useful opportunity for future research and learning. 

Principles and guidance for sharing data

• FAIR data: FAIR refers to data that are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. 
  • FAIR principles: This website explains the concept of FAIR data.
  • The FAIR guiding principles for scientific data management and stewardship: This article explores the FAIR data principles, why they are needed, and examples of their use. 
  • FAIR sharing: This educational resource provides recommendations for sharing data and metadata, as well as links to further guidance and data repositories. 
• Open Data Handbook: This website provides guides, case studies, and resources for the open data community. 
• Open Science: This website from the OECD provides resources for facilitating open science.
• Reproducible research: This website from the World Bank DIME discusses how to document and publish research and data that are replicable and reproducible. 
• Standards to facilitate data sharing and use of surveillance data for public health action: This website provides a list of factors to consider when collecting and sharing data, with a focus on data security. 

Where to share your data

There are a wide variety of places to share your data online. In addition, many universities and other organisations have their own platforms for sharing data and publications publicly. Below are some of the most popular data sharing platforms for ANH researchers. 

• Harvard Dataverse: Harvard Dataverse provides a free repository for reserach data. Organizations or projects can organize their data by opening their own dataverses within the Harvard Dataverse. 
• Open Science Framework: OSF provides a free, open platform for sharing research and data.

SCANR tip: In different disciplines, different terms are used for ideas about sharing data. For example, terms like open science framework, open science, open data, and open access commonly used in social sciences, or by governmental and non-governmental organizations. Similarly, you are more likely to see terms like reproducible research, open reproducible research, and sharing data in the natural sciences. 

SCANR tip: Create a data management plan at the beginning of your project to plan how you will collect, analyse, store, and share your data.