Funding agencies mandate open research data but scientists need help, and reasons, to get it out there

A new survey finds 80 per cent of researchers accept OA for data as common practice, but want help for it to happen. The finding is in a new REPORT from for-profit publisher Springer Nature and research services conglomerate (including Figshare) Digital Science.

A majority of the survey sample want more information on meeting funder mandates and strategies for long-term data storage and management.

“Taken in whole, the survey points to a need to plug holes around training in open data, to remove yet more administrative burden from researchers,” Figshare founder Mark Hahnel suggests.

And as for encouraging researchers, it appears to CMM that Jack Lang’s Law applies, motivations to share data are impact on citations (67 per cent ) and the visibility of  research (61 per cent), ahead of public benefit or journal/publisher mandate (both 56 per cent).