Research Data Policy

Research Data Policy

Last updated: June 2, 2026

This policy is aligned with the FAIR Data Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), as published in Scientific Data (Wilkinson et al., 2016; doi:10.1038/sdata.2016.18), and guidance from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Force11 FAIR Data initiative.

1. Data Availability Statement

All submitted manuscripts must include a Data Availability Statement as a separate section before the references. This statement must describe:

• Where the data supporting the findings can be accessed
• Any restrictions on data access and the reasons for them
• The DOI or persistent identifier for the dataset, if deposited

2. Recommended Data Repositories

Authors are encouraged to deposit research data in open, trusted repositories before submission. Recommended repositories include:

• Zenodo (CERN, multi-disciplinary)
• figshare (multi-disciplinary)
• Dataverse (social sciences)
• Open Science Framework (OSF)
• Dryad (life sciences)
• re3data.org — registry of research data repositories (find a domain-specific repository)

3. Data Citation

Datasets cited in manuscripts should be included in the reference list using persistent identifiers (DOIs preferred), following the Force11 Data Citation Principles.

4. Sensitive and Restricted Data

Where data cannot be shared openly (e.g., personal health data, commercially sensitive information, national security), authors must explain this in their Data Availability Statement and describe what access arrangements exist. Human participant data must comply with the applicable ethics approvals and relevant legislation including GDPR.