Data papers, as one of the channels to encourage researchers to open up research data under the open science movement, are expected to provide strong incentives through formal citations. However, few studies have investigated the drivers of this emerging type of publication. This study examines researchers' motivations, and considerations for data paper submission, as well as their perspectives on this scholarly publication. Through an in‐depth interview approach with ten data paper authors, our preliminary results found that, researchers are often driven by extrinsic factors to increase their publications, and data papers are sometimes viewed as territory claims before further research. Although the academic community widely recognizes the benefits of publishing data papers, some still cast a doubtful eye on its academic value and impact. We anticipate such insights on the driving forces and point of views of data papers could provide opportunities for stakeholders to fill gaps and strengthen the open science ecosystem.