What are research data and why is sharing important?
Research data refers to the collection of files that support your research project, study or publication such as spreadsheets, documents, images, videos or audio.
Your research data are valuable - without it, other researchers can’t learn and build upon your research. You won't get credit if other researchers can’t find and cite you.
The files on your desktop or USB stick may contain valuable knowledge that other researchers can learn from.
Sharing your research data helps:
- Others build upon your research.
- Advance discovery in your discipline and contribute to the public good.
- Meet your funder or institutional requirements for sharing research data.
It can also help enhance your research profile by gaining credit for the data you produce and increase readership of your published work, including the papers and articles which your data builds on.
