The Cardiff University Research Data Repository : supporting our research community in data sharing

by Kellie Snow, Research Librarian, University Library Service

Many major funders and publishers have policies in place around the sharing of research data. Cardiff University also requires the sharing of data as part of the Research Integrity and Governance Code of Practice. The idea behind this is that making data available to others increases transparency, avoids repetition, and supports the ethos of research being openly available and accessible to others, which in turn drives knowledge forward.

It is generally considered that the most effective way to share research data is by using a data repository. Repositories ensure datasets remain accessible for the long term and normally provide a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) that can be cited in associated research outputs. There are several community and funder data repositories already available, and if these are relevant to a particular discipline are often the best publishing option to maximise the visibility of your data. However, if these are not suitable, or there are no repositories for your subject area, using an institutional research data repository is another valid option.

Many UK universities have institutional research data repositories in place. Here at Cardiff, we have offered a data publishing service for a number of years through the Research Portal (Converis), but as Converis is not a repository system it had several limitations. It has therefore been accepted for some time that a new data repository system was necessary in order to showcase Cardiff’s research and to fully support researchers in meeting requirements.

Since late 2022 a project team, led by the Library Service and also comprising members of IT and Research and Innovation Services, have worked to procure and implement a new research data repository system. This project is now almost complete, with our new research data repository launched during summer this year which replaces the old service in the Research Portal.

The system procured is Figshare for Institutions. You may have heard of or interacted with Figshare already; it is a well-established public data repository service that anyone can use to publish small datasets and other research outputs. Figshare for Institutions provides customised instances of the Figshare platform, which can be tailored to an organisation’s branding and requirements and can integrate with other systems. It has the features and functionality to ensure that all your research data is citable, shareable, and discoverable, including: –

• Providing a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), so you can cite data as a research output alongside your paper or as a freestanding piece of data.
• Marking uploaded data for indexing in Google Scholar and Google Dataset Search, to help improve the exposure of your research.
• Tracking usage statistics, including views, downloads, citations, and Altmetrics.”

Other functionality for depositors includes allocating licences to datasets, applying embargoes, and a restricted access level for more sensitive datasets. Large datasets over 20GB zipped are stored separately and available to third parties upon request, with a record created in the system. Figshare also aligns with the FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable), which are regarded as a framework for the effective sharing of research data.

The service can be accessed at research-data.cardiff.ac.uk, where you can search and browse published datasets, or login to deposit your dataset. To compete the deposit process, complete the form and upload the files, then submit the dataset for review. The Open Data team will then review the dataset and, once satisfactory, publish the item. We have detailed guidance for Cardiff University affiliates on the staff and student intranet pages, and the Open Data team can be contacted on opendata@cardiff.ac.uk if you need any additional help.

We hope that the new Research Data Repository will prove a valuable service for researchers in raising the profile of their work amongst the wider research community and beyond, providing access to data in a way that truly supports open research aspirations.