Where should I share data?

Where you should share your research data largely depends on your discipline and the type of data you have. Different fields of research benefit from different publication channels, but regardless of where you choose to share your data, it is important to consider the FAIR principles. 

When deciding where to publish your data, you should ensure that they are Findable and Accessible. If the data are sensitive or protected, they cannot be openly shared, so you need to consider both what you can share and where you should do so. Additionally, funders and publishers may impose requirements on where you must publish your data.

Data repositories

There are many different types of data repositories, both subject-specific and general. In line with the FAIR principles, it is recommended to choose a repository that provides a persistent identifier for your data and requires comprehensive metadata and documentation. If the data are sensitive, you should opt for a repository that allows restricted access while still making metadata openly accessible. It is also important to ensure that the repository is a Trusted Digital Repository (TDR), meaning it has undergone a review process that confirms its ability to manage research data sustainably. This ensures that data stay as open and reusable as possible in the long term. A commonly recognized certification for TDR is CoreTrustSealOpens in a new tab.

In the Researchdata.se catalogue, you find research data from a wide range of repositories, where you can also share data.

Lists of subject-specific repositories for research data can be found at:

• Re3data.orgOpens in a new tab
• Open Access Directory's list of data repositoriesOpens in a new tab.

Data journals

There are data journalsOpens in a new tab that publish research data. In these journals, data are typically presented as datasets with complete documentation. Some journals publish only datasets without scientific analysis, while others include data papers, which provide descriptions and documentation of the data. In such cases, the dataset itself is usually stored in a data repository and assigned a unique identifier to ensure it remains possible to find.

Websites or databases

Research data can also be made available independently by the research project. This is typically done via a project website hosted by the research group or organization. This approach is often used for research projects that result in databases or digital reconstructions/visualizations.  

If your research project follows this method, you should ensure that a copy of the project's research data and documentation is safely stored, and that there is a plan in place for what will happen to the data if the website is taken down. You also have to think about long-term preservation of the data, to prevent loss when the website is no longer maintained.