Don't Hog the Data

The UK Royal Society says that for science to work, it has to be as open as possible, reports Richard Van Noorden at the Nature News blog. In a new report, the society says that researchers who hog their data are presenting a "serious impediment" to scientific process, adding that "science is an open enterprise." Furthermore, the report adds, it's not enough for researchers to allow access to their data. What's needed is the kind of openness where researchers talk to each other about data, especially when speaking to researcherswho are specialists in other fields who might be able to use that data in their own work, Van Noorden says. "Many scientists already appreciate the value of sharing data sets in organized public databases, simply because it provides more efficient and creative ways to do research," he adds. "But some still cling possessively to their data, and top-down constraints, such as the lack of recognition for generating and communicating data, also blunt the urge to share." The report adds that researchers have to learn to adjust to the large volumes of data that are common today, and invest in good data management tools and training.