Use this page to find out what sort of data ORA is (and isn't) designed to store and provide public access to, and to discover more about its key components.
ORA is the University of Oxford's digital catalogue and repository for research outputs, including research data, managed by the Bodleian Libraries. It offers a service to archive, preserve and enable the discovery and sharing of data produced by Oxford researchers.
Any type of digital research data – from across all academic disciplines – may be deposited in ORA, and it accepts any file format.
ORA's data component is aimed at researchers who:
The data repository sits within the original Oxford Research Archive (ORA) for publications, so that data can be linked easily to – and browsed alongside – related publications.
ORA is not intended to store:
It is also not intended to replace existing subject-based or national data repositories that you may prefer to use.
1. What if my data exceeds 2GB in size?
Although at the moment only single files up to 2GB (or multiple files totalling up to 5GB) can be uploaded at once via the online deposit form, we can still accept larger datasets in ORA. To deposit individual files over 2GB in size (or multiple files over 5GB), please contact us for details of an alternative file transfer process: ora@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.
2. Which file formats can I deposit?
We accept any file type in ORA, but you may wish to consider which formats will ensure the broadest possible accessibility by others, both now and in the future. To help future-proof your data you may wish to deposit more than one format of the same item. E.g. plain text files (such as .txt; .csv; .html; .xml) are both human and machine readable, and can be opened in any operating system by a wide range of applications, unlike some proprietary software formats. For more information, you may like to read the Jisc Digital Media guidance on choosing digital file formats: http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/infokit/file_formats/digital-file-formats
3. Can I edit my record after I have submitted it?
Once you press ‘submit’ your record will be sent to our review team to check through before it is published online in ORA. If you then realise that you wish to make a change, please get in touch with us at ora@bodleian.ox.ac.uk and we will endeavour to make the amendment on your behalf. Be aware, however, that a dataset and some selected record fields may not be amended following publication if a DOI has been registered.
4. How can researchers access or use the datasets?
Other researchers will be able to find your datasets in a variety of ways, including: following a DOI citation link; searching the ORA catalogue directly; and searching for your work online (ORA is crawled by Google and other search engines, and records also appear in the Bodleian Libraries’ online catalogue, SOLO). Once someone has found a dataset they wish to use in ORA, they will be able to click the ‘download’ link to retrieve the files.
5. How should researchers cite a dataset?
We advise researchers to follow the guidelines outlined by the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) in Ball, A. & Duke, M. (2015). ‘How to Cite Datasets and Link to Publications’. DCC How-to Guides. Edinburgh: Digital Curation Centre, available online at http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/how-guides/cite-datasets
An example of citation for an existing ORA data deposit is as follows:
Tomkins, D. & Jackson, A. (2015) “Ephemera and the British Empire - colour illustrations”. Oxford University Research Archive. doi: 10.5287/bodleian:xp68kg235
6. For how long will ORA guarantee data storage?
We will make every effort to retain items in the long-term, and will guarantee at least ten years of storage/availability of the data (in line with the EPSRC’s requirements for data preservation). If a depositor leaves the University, their data deposit will be retained in ORA.
7. How much storage does the Bodleian have available for data?
The Bodleian has made 20TB of storage space available for data deposits, but the intention is that this will be increased as necessary subject to University funding.
8. Who can I nominate to look after my data deposit if I move jobs?
We strongly advise that everyone depositing data with us nominates a data steward who can potentially help look after the data in the future. We suggest that the responsibility of being a data steward is linked to a particular role rather than to the individual currently holding that position, e.g. your data steward might thus be your ‘Head of Department’ or ‘Faculty Data Manager’ rather than ‘Professor X’. This is to try and ensure that even if the individual acting as your data steward moves on in his/her career, the responsibility of data stewardship will be transferred to the next person to hold the post.
9. Is a DOI the best way to link my data files to a publication?
DOIs are certainly recommended by UKRI funders for citing data files in a publication. For example, the EPSRC's policy framework on research data management (http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/files/aboutus/standards/clarificationsofexpectationsresearchdatamanagement) states that: 'Published research papers should include a short statement describing how and on what terms any supporting research data may be accessed... This expectation is consistent with the RCUK policy on Open Access, and applies to all papers which acknowledge EPSRC funding with a publication date after 1 May 2015... The expectation could be satisfied by citing such data in the published research and including in such citations direct links to the data or to supporting documentation that describes the data in detail, how it may be accessed and any constraints that may apply. It is important that such links are persistent URLs such as DOIs'.
10. Will the DOI be updated if I later upload a modified version of my data?
The DOI will always point to the ORA data record about your data (with links to download the files). The DOIs we issue contain version information about the dataset, so if you wished to deposit a modified version of your files at a later stage you would need to contact the ORA Helpdesk. A new version can then be created for your work as appropriate maintaining the oroginal DOI. Each previous version would be listed on the ORA record and available for request.
11. Does ORA record download statistics for my data deposit?
ORA will be tracking download statistics for all deposits with us, but not to the level of identifying users – you will be able to know how many people have viewed your record or downloaded your files, but not who they are.
12. Is my data big enough to be considered data, as I only have several kilobytes I want to deposit?
We accept any type of digital research data, from across all academic disciplines, and in any file format, with no minimum deposit size.
The University of Oxford's Policy on the management of research data and records defines research data as 'recorded information (regardless of the form or media in which they may exist) necessary to support or validate a research project's observations, findings or outputs'.
Research Data Oxford is the University of Oxford's main portal for advice about research data management.