Data journals: A survey

Abstract

Data occupy a key role in our information society. However, although the amount of published data continues to grow and terms such as data deluge and big data today characterize numerous (research) initiatives, much work is still needed in the direction of publishing data in order to make them effectively discoverable, available, and reusable by others. Several barriers hinder data publishing, from lack of attribution and rewards, vague citation practices, and quality issues to a rather general lack of a data-sharing culture. Lately, data journals have overcome some of these barriers. In this study of more than 100 currently existing data journals, we describe the approaches they promote for data set description, availability, citation, quality, and open access. We close by identifying ways to expand and strengthen the data journals approach as a means to promote data set access and exploitation.

An analysis of characteristics and structures embedded in data papers

“…Data papers are data publications resembling traditional journal articles, only shorter (Candela et al 2015, 1751, Gray 2015. Data papers can be published to make research data or datasets public (Breure 2014, Callaghan et al 2012, 112, Chavan and Penev 2011, 3, Gray 2015.…”

“…It is required that data papers and research data have a digital object identifier (Candela et al 2015, 1754, Gray 2015. Researchers have proposed various categories for the structure of data papers including general information such as authors, keywords and abstracts on the title page (Candela et al 2015(Candela et al , 1754, and specific information such as data collection or production (Akers 2013, Breure 2014, Candela et al 2015, 1754, data processing (Akers 2013, Rees 2010, data analyzing or analytical methods (Akers 2013, Atici et al 2013, provenance (Candela et al 2015, 1754, Rees 2010, context or coverage (e.g., time and place) (Atici et al 2013, 670, Candela et al 2015, 1754, background (Breure 2014, Candela et al 2015, 1754, competing interests (Candela et al 2015(Candela et al , 1754, license (Candela et al 2015(Candela et al , 1754, attribution (Candela et al 2015(Candela et al , 1754, reuse (Candela et al 2015(Candela et al , 1754, etc. On the other hand, some researchers have proposed the 5Ws (i.e., what, where, why, how and who) as a documentation basis for the description of research data (Challaghan et al 2012, 12, Kennedy, Ascoli, andDe Schutter 2011, 318-319).…”

“…This study aimed to build up a common structural framework to investigate the embedded characteristics and structures of the content of data papers by using a content analysis approach, and 26 data journals from 16 publishers were selected as subject in this study. This study has proposed a common framework and further embodied a concept map (Candela et al 2015) into more concrete components for the structure of data papers. …”

Towards transparent and consistent exchange of knowledge for improved microbiological food safety

“…This is essential to enable other researchers to check previous conclusions and build upon them. There are different strategies promoting the adoption of these best practices recommended, for example publishing data into repositories like FigShare or Zenodo [40], or as supplement to a publication or publishing data itself in so called 'Data journals' [41].…”

On research data publishing

“…There are two major schools of thought governing the approaches supporting data publishing, those aiming at exploiting scholarly communication practices (e.g., data journals [4]) and those proposing services and infrastructures for the dissemination of these artefacts (e.g., data reposito- [1]). At the light of this wide range of possibilities, the data publishing process has to be analysed also from the new perspectives opened up by the availability of innovative technologies to understand if, and to what extent, it can/should be rethought.…”