Making research data visible

Considerable time and effort go into collecting or generating research data, as well as documenting, analysing, preserving and, where appropriate, sharing them in a data repository. Ensuring that these data are visible and discoverable therefore matters.

Increasing the visibility of research data also supports the FAIR Principles and Open Science practices.

⚠️ All the methods suggested below assume that the data have already been made available in a data repository.

Indicating data availability in a publication

Include a data availability statement

Some journals provide a dedicated section, usually called a data statement or data availability statement, where authors can indicate the research data associated with the article.

At a minimum, this section should include:

  • the name of the data repository where the data are deposited;
  • the persistent identifier assigned to the data, such as a DOI, URL, accession number, or another persistent identifier;
  • the conditions for accessing the data, for example whether they are available on request, subject to a data use agreement, or restricted, with the reason for any restriction clearly stated.

“The [type of data, e.g. sequencing data / interview data / …] supporting the findings of this study / generated and/or analysed during this study are openly available / available on request / available subject to a data use agreement in the [repository name] repository at [DOI / URL / accession number / other persistent identifier].”

Where appropriate, this can be followed by a reference to the full dataset citation in the bibliography, including the dataset author(s), title, and other relevant information.

Journal author guidelines sometimes provide standard examples to help authors draft and structure a data availability statement. Examples are available from:

  • "The data supporting the findings of this study are openly available in the Yareta research data repository at https://doi.org/10.26037/yareta:yqae72143d."
  • "Single-cell and bulk targeted sequencing data are accessible through the EGA database (https://www.ega-archive.org) under accession numbers EGAS00001006784 and EGAS00001006901.Other data are available from the corresponding researcher upon request."

 

Many data repositories allow you to reserve a DOI before the dataset deposit is finalised. The DOI can then be included in the data availability statement when the manuscript is submitted. This makes it possible to provide reviewers with access to the data during peer review while allowing time to finalise the dataset deposit before publication.

For example, both Yareta and Zenodo offer this option.

Cite the dataset in footnotes or the reference list

If the publication does not include a data availability statement, the dataset can still be cited directly in the article, for example in a footnote or in the reference list.

Depending on the journal’s citation style, the dataset reference may include:

  • the dataset author(s);
  • the year of publication;
  • the dataset title, followed by the label “Data set”;
  • the name of the data repository where the dataset is deposited;
  • the persistent identifier, such as a DOI, URL, accession number, or another persistent identifier;
  • the version, where several versions of the dataset are available;
  • where relevant, the access conditions, for example whether the data are available on request, subject to a data use agreement, or restricted, with the reason for any restriction clearly stated.

Pouliot-Laforte, A. (2021). Impairments and sagittal kinematics of the lower limbs of children with cerebral palsy [Data set]. Université de Genève, Yareta. https://doi.org/10.26037/yareta:ghvxtm3d2naenafsu6ungo2sny

Creator(s) (Year of publication). Title [Data set]. Data repository. Persistent identifier. Version (if applicable). Licence (if applicable).

Some data repositories, such as Yareta or Zenodo, can automatically generate citation for a dataset in several citation styles, including APA and MLA.

Yareta

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Zenodo

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Link research outputs across platforms

Links between research data, publications, and researcher profiles can also be added or strengthened after publication. This makes it easier for anyone accessing the dataset, article, or researcher profile to find the related research outputs.

Link the publication from the data repository

In Yareta, open the deposit information for editing and add the publication DOI under “Related data and publications”. Select the appropriate relationship to indicate that the dataset is referenced by the publication.

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In Zenodo, a dataset can be linked to a publication when creating or editing the deposit. Add the publication in the “Related works” section.

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Link to the dataset from the institutional publication repository

Most institutional repositories for scholarly publications and research outputs allow links to related datasets to be included in the publication metadata.

If the publication is deposited in Archive ouverte UNIGE, you can indicate where the associated data are available in the publication metadata.

When depositing or editing the publication, go to step 3, “Document description”, and enter the dataset link in the dedicated “Dataset URL or DOI” field.

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Highlight research data in CVs and online profiles

Whether or not a dataset is associated with a publication, it can be included in researchers’ professional profiles and CVs, for example:

  • in an ORCID profile, by adding the dataset as a work of type dataset. This can be done manually or via the dataset DOI. Yareta and Zenodo can also be configured to automatically send dataset records to linked ORCID accounts (see below);
  • in a CV, for example under an Open Science or Open Data section. This approach is currently used in the new narrative CV model at the Faculty of Medicine;
  • under Major achievements or Research achievements in SNSF or Horizon Europe CVs;
  • in a final project report, such as those required by the SNSF;
  • on professional social networks such as LinkedIn.

In Yareta, go to your Profile and select “Create or connect your ORCID iD”.

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In Zenodo, go to My account and open Linked accounts to connect your ORCID account.

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Publish a data paper

The work involved in producing and preparing research data can also be showcased through a data paper, sometimes also called a data descriptor, dataset paper, or database paper. A data paper is a peer-reviewed publication devoted specifically to a dataset. It focuses on describing the dataset, its technical characteristics, and the processing carried out, such as anonymisation, data cleaning, standardisation, or other procedures.

Unlike a conventional research article, a data paper does not usually present a research hypothesis, test that hypothesis, or report conclusions based on data analysis. Instead, it emphasises the dataset’s value and potential for reuse.

  • Li, K., Jiang, J., Qiu, L. et al. A multimodal MRI dataset of professional chess players. Sci Data 2, 150044 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2015.44
  • Duan Yan, Adam K. Frost et Spencer Dean Stewart, An Empire of Their Own? A Longitudinal Dataset of Cotton Production and Industry in Republican China, 1919-1937. (2026). Research Data Journal for the Humanities and Social Sciences, 10. https://doi.org/10.52024/beh04a28

Some journals specialise in publishing data papers, including GigaScience and Scientific Data while others publish data papers alongside other types of articles.

To identify suitable journals, you can consult The Forschungsdaten list of data journals or CIRAD's list of journals publishing data papers and software papers.

The figure below illustrates the typical structure of a data paper and its relationship to the dataset it describes and helps make more visible.

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Figure : Data paper structure
Image source: Esther Dzale Yeumo Windpouire et Dominique L'Hostis. Open Science. Gestion et partage des données de la recherche. Journée de Formation - URFIST Paris (22/01/2015) ; Update - Agropolis Montpellier (01/04/15), slide 108, ⟨hal-02800107⟩, licence : CC BY-NC-SA.

Apply for an Open Practice Badge

Developed by the Center for Open Science, Open Practice Badges  recognise researchers’ efforts to adopt open research practices. They are displayed on published articles to indicate that the authors have followed specific Open Science practices. Several badges are available:

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Image: Open Science Badges, licensed under CC BY 4.0 license

  • Open Data indicates that the data needed to reproduce the reported results are available in an openly accessible repository, under an open licence, together with sufficient documentation.
  • Open Materials indicates that all research materials that can be shared digitally are available in an openly accessible repository. Any materials that cannot be shared digitally are described in enough detail for an independent researcher to understand and reproduce the procedure.
  • Preregistration indicates that the study protocol was publicly registered and time-stamped before the research began.

In brief

The diagram below summarises the links that can be created between datasets, research publications, and researchers’ online profiles to make research outputs easier to find, access, cite, and preserve over time.

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To learn more

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12 June 2026