Reuse data
Collecting research data is resource-intensive, while reuse is important to verify results. Here are tips on where to find data and what you should consider if you want to use other people's data in your own research – in line with the FAIR principles.
To access research data in Sweden, contact the university where the research was conducted, since research data from public universities is considered public records under the law. You can also search for existing data via the national portal Researchdata.se. Remember that access may be limited for sensitive material, such as personal data, and you must always follow rules for use and citation.
Regardless of whether the data is open or restricted, if it is collected and described in a repository, you will be able to access the metadata (data about the data). This provides you with general information about the material—such as where it was collected, file format, and size—even if you cannot access the actual content.
Keep in mind that research data is often context-dependent. For data reuse to be meaningful you need to understand how and for what purpose the data was collected. For example, interviews can be challenging to reuse, but there may still be elements that are useful to you, such as the interview questions. The context can be reconstructed with the help of metadata and documentation.
Citation of research data
When using other people's research data, you should always cite it correctly. You need to provide:
Author, Year of Publication, Title, Version, Data Repositorium, Resource Type, DOI, or other unique identifier:
Barber, L.B., Weber, A.K., LeBlanc, D.R., Hull, R.B., Sunderland, E.M., and Vecitis, C.D., 2017, Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in contaminated groundwater, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2014-2015 (ver. 1.1, March 24, 2017): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7Z899KT.
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