U-M/Sloan project enhances open access to research data

ANN ARBOR-The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research are joining forces to encourage open access to research data and closer links between publications and the data on which they are based. A grant from the foundation will allow U-M's ICPSR to work with editors of peer-reviewed social science journals, leaders of data repositories and research funding agencies to foster new standards in research transparency, data citation and sustainable funding models for open access to data. "Professional associations, journals, data repositories and funding agencies must work together to make the entire scientific venture more transparent and to encourage broader access to research data," said ICPSR Director George Alter. "The first step is to give scientists who produce important research data the recognition they deserve." A primary aim of the project is to promote the effective, consistent and standardized citation of research data. In the past, journals have been inconsistent in citing data, often providing incomplete information about how and by whom data were created. Clear standards of citation will ensure that research data are recognized as significant contributions, and that data producers are given proper credit. Such standards will also enhance the transparency of scientific research.