Step-by-Step Guide on Data Publication for ETH Zurich Researchers

I am planning to publish my research data¹

1. Metadata Documentation

I have to document my data with metadata² (entered via a repository’s interface and provided e.g. in a README text file).

Condition A

I developed code, scripts, or other forms of software.

If condition A applies, I proceed with the following steps. Otherwise, I proceed with “Part II: Data Preparation” to prepare my data for publication.

2. Code Description

I add to the README text file:

• the programming language used
• the version, libraries, compiler, packages etc.
• the specifications of the machine I used

3. Registration

I have to register³ my code, scripts or software (As required by ETH Zurich, I have to register code, scripts or software at the ETH transfer office)

4. License Information

I add to the README text file:

• the license used for the code, scripts or software

5. Completion

I include the code, scripts and software after registration when proceeding to “Part II: Data Preparation”

I proceed with “Part II: Data Preparation” to prepare my data for publication

Footnotes

¹ Reasons for publishing one’s research data, for example:

• According to ETH Zurich’s RDM Guidelines, “Research Data and Programming Code that are considered as directly relevant for a result publication based on Community Standards must be published and deposited in a FAIR repository […]” (RDM Guidelines, Article 6(1)); AND
• I am planning to submit/publish a paper AND/OR
• My funder requires me to publish my research data underlying a paper AND/OR
• I am planning to publish my research data to make them reusable
• etc.

² Required metadata:

• a title (a name given to the dataset or the research project that produced it)
• an abstract of the project or dataset (description)
• creator (the names of the persons who collected the data or contributed to data collection), identified by ORCID identifier
• the date or period of collection
• a short description of each file
• the persistent identifier of the publication (e.g., DOI, ISBN)
• the selected license
• the collection methods, tools and software used
• discipline-specific metadata relevant in the respective research field (if applicable)
• A guide for writing README files is available here.

³ For registration at ETH transfer office, see information on software licensing to third parties and open-source licensing here.

I prepare my data for reuse, publication or archiving

Condition A

Some of the data are protected by copyright or contracts with third parties or I am planning to patent them. If condition A applies to me, those data will not be published and I proceed with Condition D.

If condition A does not apply, I proceed to the next step.

Condition B

Some of the data are personal or confidential data¹. (According to ETH guidelines, strictly confidential data (for a definition, see ETH Zurich directive) must not be distributed and access can only be granted to a specified group of persons)

If condition B does not apply to me, I proceed with "Option 1". If condition B applies, I proceed with the next step.

Condition C

Data can be anonymized² and consent from study participants is obtained. (As required by Swiss and international law, I handle sensitive data with the appropriate care.)

If condition C applies to me, I proceed with "Option 2". If condition C does not apply, those data will not be publised and I proceed with the next step.

Condition D

The metadata themselves are personal or confidential data¹.

If condition D applies to me, I end up in "Option 0". If condition D does not apply, I end up in "Option 3".

Option 0

The metadata will not be published, because they are sensitive. This is a dead end, because nothing will be published.

Option 1

I include the data

1. I include the README file from “Part I: Metadata Preparation”
2. I include the code, scripts and software after registration

The README file and related metadata and the data will be published. I proceed with “Part III: Data Publication”.

Option 2

1. I anonymize the data and include it
2. I add to the README text file from Part I:
   • license information
   • access conditions (define how and by whom data can be accessed and used)
   • planned storage period
   • categories of personal data

The README file and related metadata and the fully anonymized data will be published. I proceed with “Part III: Data Publication”.

Option 3

1. I add to the README text file from Part I:
   • license information
   • access conditions (define how and by whom data can be accessed and used)
   • planned storage period
   • categories of personal data

Only the README file and related metadata will be published (these must not include any sensitive data). I proceed with “Part III: Data Publication”.

Footnotes

¹ personal or otherwise (strictly) confidential data are data such as

• data related to identifiable persons (e.g. body- or health-related data; household income data)
• contract-related data (e.g. with third-party ownership or rights to the data at a hospital or company)
  Additional information at ETH Zurich directive and factsheet “Factsheet ‘Data Protection in Research Projects’”

² anonymization = “all items which, when combined, would enable the data subject to be identified without disproportionate effort, must be irreversibly masked or deleted” (Human Research Ordinance, Art 25)

I want to publish my data collection or dataset (data + metadata [+ code])

Condition A

I will use the ETH Research Collection as a FAIR repository.
If condition A does not apply to me, I proceed with the option "External Repository". If condition A applies, I proceed with the option "Research Collection".

External Repository

I choose another FAIR data repository (e.g., Zenodo or a discipline-specific repository listed on www.re3data.org).
I proceed with step "Publication".

Research Collection

I optionally reserve a DOI. To refer to my research data in my manuscript or paper, I need to reserve a DOI for my data, but I do not want to upload my data before acceptance of my manuscript.

1. I follow the instructions to reserve a DOI at this site of the ETH library documentation, and I include the DOI in my manuscript.
2. I proceed to the next step during or after the paper publication process.

Deposit data in the Research Collection

To deposit my data in the ETH Research Collection, I follow the Video tutorial: How to publish research data. I proceed with the next step.

Publication

I enter the required metadata via the repository’s interface and I choose a suitable license. Guidance is available here.
If the data were collected during a project funded e.g. by the SNSF or EU, one has to comply with funder requirements:

• SNSF: Open Research Data regulations
• EU: Factsheet by EU Grants Access

I deposit my data (data + metadata [+ code]) from “Part II: Data Preparation” including the README file in the chosen repository. 
Optionally you can also link DOIs. Repository items can be linked, e.g. for connecting the DOI of a dataset with a DOI of a paper.

Important information

For additional support, see the Research Collection Manual, or contact research-collection@library.ethz.ch.

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