Factors Influencing Data Sharing in Research
Author Information
Author(s): Heather A. Piwowar
Primary Institution: Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh
Hypothesis
What factors are associated with the likelihood of researchers openly archiving their raw research data?
Conclusion
Only 25% of studies that created gene expression microarray datasets shared their data in public repositories, with sharing rates increasing slowly over time.
Supporting Evidence
- 25% of studies deposited their data in public repositories.
- Data sharing rates increased from less than 5% in 2001 to 30%-35% in 2007-2009.
- Authors with prior data sharing experience were more likely to share their data.
Takeaway
Most researchers don't share their data, but those who publish in open access journals or have shared data before are more likely to do so.
Methodology
The study analyzed bibliometric data from 11,603 articles to identify patterns in data sharing behavior.
Potential Biases
Potential biases from self-reported data sharing and the method of identifying articles.
Limitations
The study may have included non-data-creation studies and missed some data deposits due to reliance on PubMed identifiers.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on articles related to gene expression microarray datasets, with no specific demographic data on authors.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.005
Confidence Interval
95% confidence intervals: 24% to 26%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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