BOX 7.3 PUBLISHING RESEARCH DATA SETS: A CASE STUDY FROM THE DEMAND FOR SAFE SPACES PROJECT The final analysis data sets used in the Demand for Safe Spaces working paper were published in the World Bank’s Microdata Catalog under survey ID number BRA_2015-2016_DSS_v01_M. Three separate data sets in Stata format are present: one with the platform survey data, one with riders’ observations, and one with supplemental crowding information. The entry also contains extensive documentation, including a study description, a list of the staff involved in data collection, all questionnaires used to collect data present in the analysis data set, outputs produced using the data, survey protocols, ethics protocols, and a data dictionary. Access is licensed, so anyone who is interested in downloading the data needs to request access to them, and the data are made available only after the authors approve this request. However, even without downloading the data, users can explore the distribution of each variable. The entry includes a template citation to be used whenever the data are referenced. Finally, a clear and transparent version-control system allows viewers to see when the data were first published and when they were last modified. See the Microdata Catalog entry at https://microdatalib.worldbank .org/index.php/catalog/11600.
Once a platform has been chosen, it is time to determine exactly what data will be published. As mentioned earlier, there are typically two types of data releases for a research project: complete (de-identified) original data sets and derivative data sets used for specific research outputs. Whether the original data set can be published depends on data ownership and licensing agreements. If the data were acquired through a survey that was contracted by the research team, the data most likely belong to the research team, and therefore the team has publication rights to both the original and the derivative data. If data were acquired from a partner through a licensing agreement, the terms of the license will determine publication rights. These data sets should match the survey instrument or source documentation as closely as possible and should not include indicators constructed by the research team. Releasing constructed data is often more straightforward; depending on data licensing, researchers who do not have rights to publish the original data may be able to publish derivative data sets prepared by the research team. These data sets usually contain only the constructed indicators and associated documentation and should also be included in the replication package. When data are published, how they may be used and what license will be assigned to them have to be determined. It is essential to understand the rights associated with any data release and to communicate them to future users. Material without a license may never be reused. It is best to offer a license that is explicit and details whether and how specific individuals may access the data. Terms of use available in the World Bank Microdata Catalog include, in order of increasing restrictiveness: open access, direct access, and licensed access. Open access data are freely available to anyone and simply require attribution. Direct access data are available to registered users who agree to use the data for statistical and scientific research purposes only, to cite the data appropriately, and not to 160
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH IN PRACTICE: THE DIME ANALYTICS DATA HANDBOOK
