This document discusses data metrics and incentives for data sharing. It presents several models for data sharing, such as publishing datasets on personal websites or through data repositories and journals. It also conceptualizes different types of potential "data metrics" like citations, readership counts, downloads/views. However, data sharing is currently hindered by a "vicious circle" where researchers lack incentives to share data if they cannot get credit. The document recommends developing reward systems based on data metrics, standardizing data publications, reducing costs/negative perceptions, and coordinating technical infrastructure to break this circle and encourage data sharing.

1. Data metrics and the ‘data sharing
vicious circle’
Rodrigo Costas
CWTS – Leiden University
Oxford, 22 May, 2013

2. The value of research data:
Metrics for datasets from a cultural
and technical point of view
• Focus on :
– Models for data sharing
– Possibilities of data metrics as an incentive for data
sharing
– Conceptualization of ‘data metrics’
– Main problem
– Solutions / recommendations

3. Models for data sharing
– Publication models
• publishing (informal, e.g. publishing on the researcher’s
website)
• Publishing (similar publication process as an article)
– ‘Stand alone’: data repositories
– ‘Data journals’: publishing ‘data papers’
– Other models (Big Iron, Science support,
ecosystems, infrastructures…)
– No clear and broadly accepted model!

4. Conceptualizing ‘data metrics’
Types of metrics
Current available tools with
possibilities for “data
metrics”
Metric dimensions
Models
Scientific
publication
Data
publication
Data Publication
Stand-alone data
publications
Journal data
publications
Data publication
& citation-based
metrics
- Data Citation Index (Web of
Science)
- Google Scholar
- Scopus
- Microsoft Academic Search
- DataCite
Size-dependent Yes Difficult Yes (*) Yes
Size-independent
-- Direct average
performance
Yes No Yes Yes
-- Source-based
performance
Yes No Yes (*) Yes
Altmetrics-based
metrics
- ImpactStory
- Altmetric.com
- Twitter, Facebook
Social media
indicators
Yes Yes Yes Yes
- Mendeley
- CiteULike
Readership counts Yes No Yes Yes
- Repositories
- Data Journals
- DataCite
Downloads & views
counts
(DUI metrics)
Yes Difficult Yes Yes

5. The data sharing ‘vicious circle’

6. How to break the ‘vicious circle’?
• Development of reward systems that include data
(alt)metrics
• Standardization, formalization and tracking of data
publications/citations
• Reduction of costs
• Reduction negative perception
• Solution of technical & organizational problems
• Coordination of initiatives
• Development of standards & interoperability

7. Thanks for your attention!
Comments?
Questions?