Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

Background Data reusability is the driving force of the research data life cycle. However, implementing strategies to generate reusable data from the data creation to the sharing stages is still a significant challenge. Even when datasets supporting a study are publicly shared, the outputs are often...

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Main Authors: Tomasz Zieliński, Irina Kalita, Andrew J. Millar, Livia C.T. Scorza, Meriem El Karoui, Alessia Lepore
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wellcome 2024-12-01
Series:Wellcome Open Research
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Online Access:https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/9-523/v2
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author Tomasz Zieliński
Irina Kalita
Andrew J. Millar
Livia C.T. Scorza
Meriem El Karoui
Alessia Lepore
author_facet Tomasz Zieliński
Irina Kalita
Andrew J. Millar
Livia C.T. Scorza
Meriem El Karoui
Alessia Lepore
author_sort Tomasz Zieliński
collection DOAJ
description Background Data reusability is the driving force of the research data life cycle. However, implementing strategies to generate reusable data from the data creation to the sharing stages is still a significant challenge. Even when datasets supporting a study are publicly shared, the outputs are often incomplete and/or not reusable. The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles were published as a general guidance to promote data reusability in research, but the practical implementation of FAIR principles in research groups is still falling behind. In biology, the lack of standard practices for a large diversity of data types, data storage and preservation issues, and the lack of familiarity among researchers are some of the main impeding factors to achieve FAIR data. Past literature describes biological curation from the perspective of data resources that aggregate data, often from publications. Methods Our team works alongside data-generating, experimental researchers so our perspective aligns with publication authors rather than aggregators. We detail the processes for organizing datasets for publication, showcasing practical examples from data curation to data sharing. We also recommend strategies, tools and web resources to maximize data reusability, while maintaining research productivity. Conclusion We propose a simple approach to address research data management challenges for experimentalists, designed to promote FAIR data sharing. This strategy not only simplifies data management, but also enhances data visibility, recognition and impact, ultimately benefiting the entire scientific community.
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spelling doaj-art-39b8e56c81f64e26bbcf7f25c17b2ad42025-08-20T02:31:27ZengWellcomeWellcome Open Research2398-502X2024-12-01910.12688/wellcomeopenres.22899.225748Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]Tomasz Zieliński0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0194-5706Irina Kalita1Andrew J. Millar2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1756-3654Livia C.T. Scorza3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0145-3592Meriem El Karoui4Alessia Lepore5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9644-521XCentre for Engineering Biology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3BF, UKCentre for Engineering Biology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3BF, UKCentre for Engineering Biology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3BF, UKCentre for Engineering Biology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3BF, UKCentre for Engineering Biology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3BF, UKCentre for Engineering Biology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3BF, UKBackground Data reusability is the driving force of the research data life cycle. However, implementing strategies to generate reusable data from the data creation to the sharing stages is still a significant challenge. Even when datasets supporting a study are publicly shared, the outputs are often incomplete and/or not reusable. The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles were published as a general guidance to promote data reusability in research, but the practical implementation of FAIR principles in research groups is still falling behind. In biology, the lack of standard practices for a large diversity of data types, data storage and preservation issues, and the lack of familiarity among researchers are some of the main impeding factors to achieve FAIR data. Past literature describes biological curation from the perspective of data resources that aggregate data, often from publications. Methods Our team works alongside data-generating, experimental researchers so our perspective aligns with publication authors rather than aggregators. We detail the processes for organizing datasets for publication, showcasing practical examples from data curation to data sharing. We also recommend strategies, tools and web resources to maximize data reusability, while maintaining research productivity. Conclusion We propose a simple approach to address research data management challenges for experimentalists, designed to promote FAIR data sharing. This strategy not only simplifies data management, but also enhances data visibility, recognition and impact, ultimately benefiting the entire scientific community.https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/9-523/v2Open science FAIR data sharing data curation repositories reproducibilityeng
spellingShingle Tomasz Zieliński
Irina Kalita
Andrew J. Millar
Livia C.T. Scorza
Meriem El Karoui
Alessia Lepore
Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
Wellcome Open Research
Open science
FAIR
data sharing
data curation
repositories
reproducibility
eng
title Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
title_full Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
title_fullStr Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
title_full_unstemmed Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
title_short Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
title_sort daily life in the open biologist s second job as a data curator version 2 peer review 3 approved 1 approved with reservations
topic Open science
FAIR
data sharing
data curation
repositories
reproducibility
eng
url https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/9-523/v2
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