Q. Do I have to share my research data?

The FAIR Data principles promote the sharing and reuse of research data. However, there are often reasons why researchers cannot openly share their research data; including privacy, intellectual property, ethical, cultural, or commercial issues. 

In cases where sharing research data isn't possible or requires mediation, the Library can share research data for maximum discoverability in a metadata-only record. This publishes all the information about the dataset, including dates, keywords, authors, and methods but restricts or prohibits access to the sensitive dataset. This process provides a citation to use in a data availability statement or reference list for an article publication whilst protecting the dataset. 

For assistance with this process, access the ‘Support for research data management planning’ form for Staff and Students in WesternNow.