Why it’s important

Linking published research articles to the protocols, data, and analyses used to generate the published results enhances the public utility of the work.  FAIR principles build on DMP- and DUA-based data management and security by emphasizing metadata curation.  By defining the format and content of the data more clearly, a simple data dump can become a more useful, reproducible, and reusable resource.  This transparency may also be the best defense if anyone ever questions your work.

DUAs make sure that the people who know the data best and are responsible for following the conditions of the research subjects’ consent (and any applicable regulations) are the same people who establish how the data must be stored and used.  In addition to the obvious ethical issues, violations of federal or state laws and/or the terms of the DUA can have serious legal and financial consequences for the researcher and the University.