The Importance of Data Availability Statements (DAS)

Allowing readers to access research data is considered good practice in science and is a mechanism for promoting transparency in scientific progress. For this reason, most journals require a data availability statement (DAS), in which authors publicly provide the information necessary for others to reproduce the research.

A data availability statement (DAS) is a piece of information that informs readers whether the data behind a research project is accessible and, if so, where and how. Ideally, researchers should include hyperlinks to public databases to make it easier for readers to find them. An example of a data availability statement is: “The raw and processed data needed to reproduce the above findings are available for download; please visit the following link: (insert link).”

If research data cannot be shared publicly for some reason, researchers can issue a statement of unavailability. For example, “The raw and processed data needed to reproduce the above findings cannot be shared at this time due to legal/ethical/technical limitations, or because they are part of ongoing research.”

As mentioned previously, the most common practice for sharing datasets is to provide a permanent web link. This ensures near-universal access. There are no restrictions on the choice of database; authors can use any database they wish, but depending on the journal to which they submit their paper, they may be invited to upload their dataset to that particular journal. This is a way to encourage authors to include a Data Availability Statement during submission for publication. However, in general, authors can also link their dataset directly to their article.

In fact, a Data Availability Statement is only a sentence or two long, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be included in an article. Furthermore, most journals and funders require it for submission purposes. A data availability statement is important because it supports:

1. Data validation. Impactful findings emerge from solid data. Data validation is often overlooked, yet it is key to achieving accurate results. By providing readers with access to the data, researchers are giving them the opportunity to verify the quality and legitimacy of the data underlying their articles. Furthermore, this also makes it easier for researchers to find and access more scientific materials essential for developing their own work.
2. Information Reuse. Scientific progress ultimately depends on the use and reuse of information. Data Availability Statements enable research data to be easily found, properly reviewed, and validated by scientists who may need it for further research. Together with database indexing, these statements are a highly effective tool for public access to a network of scientific information, making it easier for researchers to develop their scientific projects and further their knowledge.
3. Perhaps the best news for authors regarding Data Access Statements is that they certainly help increase the chances of being cited (correctly) by other researchers. As you probably already know, the number of citations is an important factor when calculating a researcher’s relevance metric (H-index). The higher a researcher’s H-index, the greater their visibility and recognition.

The importance of Data Availability Statements (DAS) to transparency in science cannot be overstated. SDSS ensures that researchers are properly recognized for their work and helps science thrive as a discipline, where continuous progress is a key pillar.