Publishing research data, where possible, is an important part of the scholarly communication process. It helps support transparency, reproducibility, reuse, and the validation of research methods.
Publishing research data refers to a set of practices that make data and metadata discoverable, accessible, reusable, and persistently available into the future. This may include submitting data, or information about data, to an online repository, portal, or aggregator. Most research institutions have their own repositories, and many disciplines have established practices for contributing to a subject based repositories, such as Dryad, or TERN.
Options to publish research data
Research data can be published in several ways:
- sharing information about research datasets using rich metadata records in institutional or discipline-specific repositories
- syndicating those metadata records to wider discovery portals such as Research Data Australia.
- formal publication in data journals.
- where the underlying data cannot be made openly available - for example, due to confidentiality, cultural sensitivities, or contractual obligations - publishing a metadata record describing the dataset can still support discoverability and transparency, while allowing access conditions to be clearly communicated.
When choosing where to publish, UTS recommends prioritising a domain-specific repository first (use re3data.org to search for repositories in your field). If no suitable option exists, deposit your data in the UTS Research Data Portal. Where neither is suitable, domain-general repositories such as Dryad or OSF may be appropriate alternatives.
Further advice on publishing data and preparing data for publication can be found in the Research Data Management Study Guide.
Reasons to publish research data
There are a lot of good reasons for sharing and enabling the reuse of data:
- supporting transparency and accountability
- enabling validation of research methods and findings
- promoting new opportunities for collaboration
- reducing unnecessary duplication of data collection
- providing credit to researchers for data as a research output in its own right
The number of funding bodies and publishers encouraging or requiring access to data continues to grow. In Australia, the Australian Research Council and the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) both promote open sharing of data wherever possible. The NHMRC also requires grant recipients to include a clear Data Availability Statement in publications arising from funded research.
Some publishers may request a DOI for the data supporting a publication. You can use Stash to request a DOI for your data. You should always check whether your funder or publisher has policies on data sharing or publishing early in your project, so you can plan appropriately for data retention, access, and publication.
If your research data was generated or processed using AI tools, this may raise additional considerations around intellectual property, licensing, and transparency before publishing. Many publishers now require disclosure of AI use in research, including which tools were used and how. Requirements vary between publishers and journals, so check your target journal's policy before submission. See the UTS Use of AI in Research Guidelines for guidance.
Data Availability Statements
Many journals, and some funders, require authors to include a Data Availability Statement (DAS) when submitting a manuscript. A DAS explains where the data supporting the publication can be accessed, under what conditions, and why any restrictions may apply. Including a DAS supports transparency, helps readers locate the dataset, and can help meet publisher and funder expectations.
If you are depositing your data in the UTS Research Data Portal, your DAS should include the DOI, the access level you have selected (such as open, mediated access, or embargoed), and any relevant licensing information.
If your data cannot be shared, the DAS should briefly explain the reason, for example, confidentiality, cultural sensitivities, or third-party constraints.
When to not publish research data
Not all data can or should be published. Reasons may include:
- risks associated with confidential, sensitive, or identifiable data
- ethical concerns or potential harm
- contractual obligations, such as industry research agreements
- third-party content that cannot be shared or published
- technical limitations, such as size or maintenance requirements
Where data cannot be openly published, there may still be other ways to describe the data or make information about it discoverable. Contact the Library to discuss options that can maximise visibility of your research while meeting ethical, legal, cultural, and contractual obligations.
Publishing research data at UTS
Login to Stash and select Create Data Publication under the Publish and share box. The form will guide you through supplying important contextual information such as setting, access conditions, usage licensing and citation details. An existing data record and research data management plan is necessary to create a data publication. These can also be created in Stash.
The video below explains how to create a data record and data publication in Stash.
After submission, your data publication record will be reviewed and you will be contacted if any clarification is required. If you require a DOI for your data publication, contact eresearch-it [at] uts.edu.au (eResearch). Published datasets can be found on the UTS Research Data Portal.