EAGER: Improving the Quality and Reducing the Burden of Producing and Reusing Publicly Accessible Research Data

Iowa State University, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

Reusability of research data is central to successfully maximizing the benefits of public access to publicly funded research outputs. The purpose of this EAGER proposal is to improve understanding of factors that lead to reusability of research data. It proposes to do this by 1) developing a framework for understanding data reusability, 2) identify concomitant practices for improving data reusability, and 3) propose a path for accelerating the data reusability readiness of the research community. The project would accomplish this through targeted research and feedback sought through a group meeting. Research teams at Iowa State University and the University of Virginia will pursue this goal by first gathering descriptive information on targeted research communities with different levels of maturity in their practices of research data sharing and reuse, as well as trusted repositories that have adopted practices for evaluating data sources prior to data ingest and reuse. This descriptive information will inform a draft framework articulating common elements of data reuse, and processes for depositing data in ways that promote reusability. The framework will also examine incentives and barriers to data reusability. Feedback from a community meeting will inform subsequent refinement of the framework, which will be used in small scale tests using publicly accessible data sets and research groups at ISU and UVA. The final version of the framework would include a discussion of strategies for accelerating the sharing of research data and the corresponding culture changes needed for success. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.