What does the term "research data" mean?

The term Research Data means all data gathered, observed or created when the research process in progress, with the aim of receiving original scientific findings. Depending on how they were created or what they were created for, research data can be distinguished as observational, experimental, simulation or referential data.

Each science discipline creates its own, specific research data, for example, there can be documentary films about animals` behaviour in biology, geographical and spacious data in civil engineering and environment protection, whereas in history – archival documents.  All descriptions of procedures, laboratory field notes or information about experiments can be included in research data.

To define research data as "open" data, data should be made accessible to everybody and be freely used, modified and disseminated.

Open Research Data (ORD) are a part of a wider idea, which is an Open Science, with the Open Access (OA) and Open Scholarly Communication (OSC).

What are the benefits of making research data more accessible?
  • better communication and exchanging information between specialists from different science disciplines
  • the possibility to make analyses based on unique data, which cannot be gathered again
  • increasing the number of citations both publications based on data and data themselves
  • the possibility to evaluate the accuracy of conducted research
  • the possibility to use existing resources and lowering the costs of research

It should be remembered that Open Research Data are not only the possibility but also the necessity more and more frequently. Agencies financing the scientific research often require the Data Management Plan (DMP), whereas publishers and editors require authors to make data used for a publication accessible.

Do you know that?

European Union is the leader in Open Research Data. The European Commission operates actively to implement ORD initiatives by universities and research centres in the EU.

More information about the stages of implementing Open Science in EU