General
Module 3: Sharing Data
Reusing and Sharing Data
For historians a large proportion of research is done individually and does not require much, if any, amount of file sharing during the process. This will of course be different for collaborative projects and will even vary significantly with individual ones. It is therefore useful to consider or at least be aware of the various methods that are out there to enable you to share files with others. It is also vital to consider the potential of sharing when you begin your research as this might save you time later when or if you decide or need to share the data you produce with others (or even to better enable you to transfer that data to other devices at a later time and to understand the system you have used if you come back to the research at a much later date).
Take a look at the book 'sharing data' for some general guidance about what you need to consider to reuse and share your data, and why you might wish to do so.
If you would like to learn more about the issues involved in sharing then we would recommend taking a look at the Data Preservation course (SHARD) Module 4 (click on this link to be taken to that course).
Case study #1: The Domesday Book
The Domesday Book is commonly transformed into quantatative data in the UK. It, like the UK census data, lends itself to such treatment. But how do you share that type of data? This case study looks at the Hull Domesday Project as an example of how quantatative data has been shared in an institutional repository and in a national repository.
Case study #2: Sharing oral history
The second case study looks at the The Edwardians: Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918 project as an example of how you might share and make reusable oral history materials (audio). The case study is interesting as it represents an early attempt to make the audio available and the problems to preserve and maintain that content since.
DMP
Re-visit your data management plan and complete Section 4: Access and use of information, based on the topics covered in the previous three sections. Add as much information as you are able to at this stage before moving onto the next part of this module. It is recommended that you complete this section even if the data will not be shared, so you have a record of the decision taken and reasons why.
- When addressing licensing it is advisable to ensure that this ties in with section 3 on intellectual property.
- When addressing re-use of data after a project, it is advised that this takes account of entries in section 6 on archiving and future proofing.
Remember, whether required by a funder or not, considering how your data may by accessed and used by others (with acknowledgement) will be important to make sure it can be shared effectively.