Research Data Management : Data Sharing: Find the repository for your data

Where a data-type specific repository is not available for your data needs, the following generalist repositories could be the right destination since they can handle a wide variety of data.

* Zenodo and Figshare integrate with GitHub to make code hosted in GitHub citable by issuing DOIs.

** OSF integrates for storage with Amazon S3, Bitbucket, Box, Dataverse, Dropbox, figshare, Github, GitLab, Google Drive, OneDrive, ownCloud and especially for code GitHub.

Information last updated 2019-11-28

The KAUST Repository intends to capture, store and preserve all research output of KAUST faculty, researchers and students (conference papers, technical reports, peer-reviewed articles, preprints, theses, images, data sets, and other research-related works), and to make it available to the research community.  Data uploaded to the repository are registered with DataCite and issued permanent identifiers (DOIs), making it easier for other researchers to find and cite your data, thus helping to keep the data linked to the publications whose findings it underpins.  If you release your data through your own website, the repository can also work with you to support the preservation of your data beyond the life of your website.

The repository also serves as a registry of research data that you release through specialized repositories in your discipline or other sites.  

Finally, integration with ORCID can keep your data linked to your public research profiles.

Thinking about saving your data in a repository? Checked already for one recommended by your scientific community ( i.e. Royal Society of Chemistry, IEEE DataPort™), your intended publisher or funder and still didn't find the one for your data? See the list of general purpose repositories for one that may be suitable for your data. Does your research project include the development of code? Check this list of code repositories we've compiled for your reference. You still haven't found the repository for your data? Try searching for one in:

1. re3data.org, a global registry of research data repositories that covers repositories from different academic disciplines. A simple search tool will help you find a list of potential suitable repositories to consider whereas the use of filters will help you refine your search. Sara Jones from DCC explains shortly how to efficiently use re3data in this short video.

2. FAIRsharing.org, (formerly BIOsharing) is a web-based, searchable portal of three interlinked registries: standards, databases and data policies, combined with an integrated view across all three types of resource (collections). The simple search box searches through all types of content. The search can be narrowed down to specific repositories by using the checkbox “Databases” underneath it or “Collections” in order to access information that combines more types of resource (standard, database or policy) by domain, project or organization.

The Digital Curation Center in UK has published a checklist for evaluating data repositories to assist in assessing the appropriateness of a repository for one's circumstances.

Their key considerations could be summarized in the following five questions:

1.  is a reputable repository available in your research discipline? 
2.  will the repository take the data (types, format etc) you want to deposit?
3.  will it be safe in legal terms?
4.  will it make your data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable (FAIR)?
5.  will it support analysis and track data usage?

The Data Management Services at Johns Hopkins Libraries has compiled a list of questions to ask in determining whether a particular repository meets your data needs. 

The Data Management team in MIT Libraries have developed a data repository comparison table to facilitate the process of choosing the most appropriate repository among a list a several candidates.