Common Questions About Data Publishing at Emory

Where should I publish my data? Is that location stable and likely to endure?

Established data repositories are the most reliable places to publish your data. Disciplinary repositories are often the best option. For example, consider:

• NIH-supported domain repositories for biomedical data
• Dryad for general research data
• ICPSR for quantitative and qualitative data

For help in selecting a repository for your data, see our Research Data site.

Not all data are suitable for deposit in a repository, but still need to be kept for a certain length of time per government regulations or sponsor requirements. In most cases, responsibility for stewardship of the data rests with the principal investigator. Data retention is covered in more detail on the Research Data site.

How do I get a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for my data?

Many data repositories provide persistent identifiers, such as a DOI, for datasets. The type of identifier assigned may vary depending on the data repository you choose. Each dataset deposited with the Emory Dataverse is assigned a DOI, allowing for persistent and reliable long-term access to your data.

How long will my data be available?

That depends on the terms or policies of any data repository you choose. For the Emory Dataverse, data deposited are kept in perpetuity.

Can I restrict access to my data?

Data repositories handle access restrictions in different ways. Some may allow for data depositors to set the access controls so that only specific users or communities can access a dataset. Others allow depositors to set an embargo restricting access to the data until a certain period of time has passed.

For guidance in selecting an appropriate repository for your data, including ones that provide DOIs and allow for access restrictions or embargo periods, see the Emory Research Data website.