About UCFigshare

When to Use UCFigshare

NIH-sponsored University of Cincinnati researchers should use UCFigshare for final data sharing if specific data repository requirements for a particular data type and discipline or individual initiatives and funding opportunities are not required. Please see this list of NIH Scientific Supported Data Repositories.

NIH requires all applicants planning to generate scientific data to prepare a DMS Plan during the application/proposal process that describes how the scientific data will be managed and shared. If the project is not sponsored by NIH, please refer to the Research & Data Resources page provided by UC Libraries.

NIH-sponsored researchers should share data:

• At the end of the Research Project: All scientific data generated during the project must be shared by the project's conclusion. This includes high-quality data that may not have been included in any publications, such as “negative results.”
• At the Time of Publication: All scientific data supporting a publication must be shared by the time of publication (when the publication first appears, either online or in print).

Selecting a Data Repository:

For certain programs and types of data, NIH and/or IC policy may require the use of specific data repositories. When no specific repository is designated by the NIH, the UC Office of Research strongly encourages using UCFigshare for NIH Sponsored Research. This platform, available since October 2024, is a collaborative effort between the Office of Research, UC Libraries, and DTS.

For NIH proposals submitted before October 2024 that listed UC Scholar as the data repository in the Data Management Plan (DMP), we recommend updating the DMP to use UCFigshare at the JIT/RPPR stage. No action is needed for datasets uploaded to UC Scholar before October 2024.

How to Request Access

Requesting access to UCFigshare is a simple process, but it's important to follow all the necessary steps to ensure your data is stored and shared properly. Here’s how to get started:

1. Submit the UCFigshare Request Storage Form
   To begin, you’ll need to fill out the UCFigshare Request Storage Form. This form gathers important information about your project and data needs, including details on what type of data you’ll be uploading and any specific requirements for storage or sharing.
2. Administrative Review
   Once your form is submitted, a UCFigshare Administrator will review the information. This review process ensures that your data complies with institutional policies and any relevant legal or regulatory requirements. If necessary, the administrator may also collaborate with compliance officers to ensure your data is handled in accordance with specific guidelines.
   • How Long It Takes: The review process can take a few business days, so it's important to plan ahead, especially if you have a deadline for sharing your data. Make sure to include any deadlines or important dates in your form submission so they can be taken into account during the review.
3. Receiving Access
   After the review is complete, the UCFigshare Administrator will contact you with the details on how to access UCFigshare. This will include instructions on how to log in, store, and share your data. If there are any special conditions or further steps required, the administrator will guide you through them.
4. Next Steps: Preparing and Uploading Your Data
   Once you’ve been granted access, it’s time to start preparing your data for deposit. Be sure to read the “Prepare Data for Deposit in UCFigshare” section below for detailed instructions on how to organize and upload your datasets. You should also refer to the UCFigshare Step-by-Step Guide, which walks you through the entire process from start to finish.
5. Need Help?
   If you have any questions along the way or need further assistance, you can contact the administrator at figshare@ucmail.uc.edu for more information.

How to Include in Proposals

University of Cincinnati researchers or Principal Investigator (PI) may want to include, in NIH research proposals or planned research projects, the use of UCFigshare for data deposit and publication.

It is recommended to apply for a Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0) license for datasets. Refer to UC Libraries Research and Data Services Unit for more information regarding Licenses.

For assistance in writing DMSP, visit the DMPtool or email askdata@uc.edu.

Other Important Considerations:

• Large Datasets (greater than 100GB): If these plans include the deposit of a large dataset, e.g. greater than 100 GB, please contact the UCFigshare administrator at figshare@ucmail.uc.edu to discuss/inform. If the repository administrators are not made aware of the plans, they may not be able to execute these plans appropriately when the time comes. Furthermore, there may be a need to budget for data deposit and curation.
• Restricted data: If the datasets have restricted data, it will need to be de-identified and packaged. These services can be obtained from UC’s Center for Health Informatics (CHI). More information can be found on UC’s Center for Health Informatics (CHI)/UC’s College of Medicine Core Facilities. The cost of these services should then be included in the budget.

Language for Inclusion in DMP

The following language provides information requested by NIH about data repositories and  their associated services in data management plans. It can be included, in whole or as needed to best describe the project data sharing needs.

“Data selected for sharing will be stored and made publicly available through the UCFigshare repository, which is managed by the University of Cincinnati. UCFigshare serves as a platform to showcase and provide access to research data generated at the University, and is listed in the Registry of Research Data Repositories. Each dataset or item is organized with detailed metadata, which plays a key role in enabling data discovery, accessibility, and reuse. Once published, datasets will remain accessible indefinitely, with a minimum availability period of five years.

In addition, the University Libraries team offers guidance on organizing and documenting research data to enhance its discoverability and reusability. Both original and curated datasets are published following best practices outlined in the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. UCFigshare also assigns persistent digital object identifiers (DOIs) and data citations to all published datasets to ensure they can be referenced and attributed properly."

How to Prepare Data for Deposit

Decide if the data can be openly shared

Check if the dataset has any restricted/IP data. Researchers should only deposit and openly share (publish) data in UCFigshare for which they have the right to do so, and in doing so does not violate laws or ethics. Listed below are compliance offices that can help if there are such data concerns:

• Intellectual Property/Tech Transfer
• Research Security/Export Control
• Information Security
• Research Integrity

Files to include in the data deposit:

Be sure to have on hand all relevant data and documentation i.e. read me file, data dictionary, code book etc. for uploading and depositing into the UCFigshare. In depositing data for publication there are a few questions that need to be verified:

• Who is expected to make use of this data? Who is the intended audience?
• For what purpose is this data deposited? What files containing data and documentation are needed to fit this purpose?
• Should this deposit include code or software used to process or generate the data?

Before publication, files can be uploaded for the dataset in one or more sessions. However, any additional files to be added to a published dataset will necessitate a new version of this dataset and possibly a new DOI.

Formatting + Organizing Data

Convert the files into more open, community-adopted, or widely usable formats when feasible. For one broad example, comma-separated value (csv) files are more usable and more easily importable into computing applications than Excel spreadsheets.

It is possible that the data is created and analyzed in a format used by and most useful for a small research community. Consider providing the research data in two formats, the format used by the research community and in a format openly accessible to a wider user base.

If this dataset contains many files (more than ten), consider aggregating subsets into .zip, .tar or other archive file formats before uploading them. This will ease upload of the dataset and download of parts of the dataset for others. These subsets could be sub-folders within a project dataset folder.

These archive file formats can also preserve a folder/directory structure, and this can provide valuable context for data the share. LOC preferred formats can be found here.

What is Metadata?

Metadata is essentially data about data — it provides important details about a piece of research or dataset that help others find, understand, and reuse it. Think of metadata as the labels on a library book that help people search for and identify the right book. In the case of digital research data, metadata makes it easier for others to discover and make sense of your work.

When publishing your research on UCFigshare, certain pieces of metadata are required to ensure your data is discoverable and properly described. These include:

• Title: The name of your dataset or research output. This should be clear and descriptive so others can easily understand what your work is about.
• Authors: The individuals or teams who created or contributed to the dataset or research. Listing the correct authors ensures they get proper credit for their work.
• Item Type: A simple categorization of the type of work you're publishing, such as a dataset, presentation, report, or image. This helps categorize your work for easier discovery.
• Keywords: Words or phrases that describe the main topics of your work. Keywords help other researchers find your work when they search for specific topics.
• License: Specifies how your work can be used by others. For example, some licenses allow your data to be freely shared and reused, while others may place restrictions on usage. UCFigshare offers guidance on selecting the right license for your work.
• Description: A short summary that explains the content and purpose of your research. A good description makes your work more understandable to others, even those outside your field of expertise.
• Embargo (if needed): If you need to delay the public release of your data (perhaps due to a pending publication), an embargo allows you to set a future date for when your data will be made publicly available.
• DOI (Digital Object Identifier): A unique identifier assigned to your dataset that ensures it can always be found and cited. A DOI is like a permanent link to your work, even if it moves to a different location online.
• Related Material: If your dataset or research is linked to other publications, research papers, or datasets, you can add these links here. This helps build connections between different parts of your research.

Step-by-Step User Guide

Please see the UC Figshare Step by Step Guide for a complete guide for how to use UCFigshare.

Terms of Use

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If we take down or otherwise cease to make a work available as an item of Content, the permission granted to you hereunder to use that Content thereafter will terminate at that time. UCFigshare is maintained as a scholarly and educational resource by the University which may be modified or terminated by the University in its sole discretion. UCFigshare sponsors will develop a succession plan for continued access and preservation of deposited content in the event of any termination of operation of UCFigshare.

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Approved by the Office of General Counsel, 08/19/2024.

Contact:

To contact a UCFigshare Administrator, please email figshare@ucmail.uc.edu.