When locating a repository, it is important to understand what roles you need the repository to perform.
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Common practice among Dataverse, Portage and many other repositories - but it is important to verify this when investigating others, as DOIs are an essential service. |
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Universal among repositories |
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This refers to data not formatted for open sharing because it is in |
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Dataverse is the repository for this. |
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Dataverse, Portage, Funder Recommended Repositories. Both Dataverse and Portage are free repositories. |
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Dataverse is ideal for this. It also makes understanding the data easier by including Data Visualization Tools |
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Dataverse is the repository for this. Dataverse offers |
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Universal among repositories |
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General repositories like Dataverse and Portage tend to take many different file types, but subject / domain specific repositories might offer tools that enable researchers to locate use the data in unique ways. You will need to consult them if there are any costs associated with housing data in them. |
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Common practice but confirm. |
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Portage provides access to one Terabyte and more can be requested. Utilizes Globus File Transfer to enable file transfer of massive data sets. |
At different stages of your research project you may require a repository to do different things.
To learn how to use Dataverse. Go to our Dataverse Guide: Getting Help with Dataverse.
Portage outlines some key aspects of various Canadian Repositories. It can help you understand important elements of selecting a repository.
If you have received funding for your research you will need to consult whether the funder recommends publishing data in a specific repository. In many cases funders will recommend specific repositories because these repositories:
Funder recommended repositories will adhere to the Trust Principles created by the Research Data Alliance (RDA) (endorsed by Portage and the Canadian Association of Research Libraries) and offer Preservation, Visibility, Licensing and Data Sharing options. However, you will need to learn if a recommended repository is sufficient to manage specialized sharing restrictions if this is required. If they do not, review your Data Management Plan:
If this was spelled out in your DMP you can contact the funder to discuss this issue.
Another concern when selecting a repository is Data Sovereignty. As the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and Portage state:
...it is in our national interest to take local responsibility for the stewardship of the valuable research data produced through Canadian research and to determine which criteria and practices are appropriate for repositories that collect Canadian-produced research data. A publisher-directed approach to data repository selection could result in a situation that is at odds with our national values and standards. We support the principles outlined in UNESCO Recommendations on Open Science, that characterize open science as a global public good, stating “Open Science services should be viewed as essential research infrastructures, governed and owned by the community, and funded collectively by governments, funders and institutions reflecting the diverse interests and needs of the research community and society.”
Consequently, it is always desirable to house Canadian Data in a Canadian Repository.
One approach to deal with this situation is to contact Scholarly Communications Library Services for assistance around compliance with requirements that ensure data sovereignty is maintained and that any data shared is not ceded in a manner that a commercial entity might exploit.
Even if there are no official requirements around where you house your data, you may decide it is important for the purposes of the visibility of your research - and the need to locate it with similar file types - to locate your data in a Subject / Domain Specific Repository.
If you need to locate your data in one of these repositories, a good practice would be to determine:
Should you select a subject / domain repository, you might also consider housing the data in Dataverse or Portage for a multitude of reasons related to preservation and Data Sovereignty.
To learn about alternative repositories consult Re3data.
Use it to determine where you can (1) look for, or (2) contibute relevant data.