The authors have no individual competing interests to declare. PLOS is funded partly through manuscript publication charges, but the
The author(s) have made the following declarations about their contributions: Wrote the first draft of the manuscript: TB MW EG. Contributed to the writing of the manuscript:TB MW EG.
The new PLOS Data Policy will require all submitting authors to include a data availability statement as of March 1, 2014. Read more about what this means and see the policy itself in this cross-PLOS Editorial from Theo Bloom and colleagues.
This Editorial has been published simultaneously in
Data are any and all of the digital materials that are collected and analyzed in the pursuit of scientific advances. In line with its stance on providing Open Access to research articles themselves, PLOS strongly believes that, to best foster scientific progress, the underlying data should be made freely available for researchers to use, wherever this is legal and ethical. Data availability allows validation, replication, reanalysis, new analysis, reinterpretation, or inclusion into meta-analyses, and facilitates reproducibility of research
Since their inception PLOS journals have requested that data be available, but we believe that providing more specific instructions for authors regarding appropriate data deposition options, and providing more information in the published article regarding how to access data, are important for both general readers and for research users of the research we publish. As a result, PLOS posted a revised Data Policy for comment on December 12, 2013
PLOS journals require authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception1.
When submitting a manuscript online, authors must provide a
Refusal to share data and related metadata and methods in accordance with this policy will be grounds for rejection. PLOS journal editors encourage researchers to contact them if they encounter difficulties in obtaining data from articles published in PLOS journals. If restrictions on access to data come to light after publication, we reserve the right to post a correction, to contact the authors' institutions and funders, or in extreme cases to retract the publication.
Methods acceptable to PLOS journals with respect to data sharing are listed below, accompanied by guidance for authors as to what must be indicated in their data availability statement and how to follow best practices in reporting
Authors who have questions or difficulties with the policy, or readers who have difficulty accessing data, are encouraged to contact the relevant journal office or
For smaller datasets and certain data types, authors may upload data
If data deposition or provision in supporting information is not ethical or legal (e.g., underlying data pose privacy or legal concerns, or include human participants3), the following two methods may be acceptable alternatives, subject to case-by-case evaluation:
PLOS journals will not consider manuscripts where the following factors influence ability to share data:
Authors will not share data because of personal interests, such as patents or potential future publications.
The conclusions depend solely on the analysis of proprietary data (e.g., data owned by commercial interests). If proprietary data are used, the manuscript must include an analysis of public data that validates the conclusions so others can reproduce the analysis and build on the findings.
PLOS defines the “minimal dataset” to consist of the dataset used to reach the conclusions drawn in the manuscript with related metadata and methods, and any additional data required to replicate the reported study findings in their entirety. Core descriptive data, methods, and study results should be included within the main paper, regardless of data deposition. PLOS does not accept references to “data not shown”. Authors who have datasets too large for sharing via repositories or uploaded files should contact the relevant journal for advice.
PLOS requires that authors comply with field-specific standards for preparation and recording of data
For studies involving human participants, data must be handled so as to not compromise study participants’ privacy. PLOS recommends that researchers follow established guidance and applicable local laws in ensuring they do not compromise participant privacy. Resources which researchers may consult for guidance include:
US National Institutes of Health: Protecting the Rights and Privacy of Human Subjects
This policy was developed after extensive consultation with PLOS Editors in Chief, in-house professional editors, and Academic Editors, who include practicing scientists from a variety of disciplines. We also appreciate input on the policy from others during the comment period, via Twitter and email. The feedback helpfully identified points for clarification, but the policy remains unaltered.
One point for clarification is the issue of “data available on request.” We strongly believe that data should be freely available all the time without having to go through a gatekeeper, but we recognize that in some instances patient privacy or other concerns may preclude making data freely available to all. If ethical barriers prevent complete data release, authors should adhere to the guidelines noted in the Data Policy, which requires authors to identify a named ethics or data access committee, or other equivalent group, that can provide access. We appreciate that such committees may not already exist, and if that is the case, please note details of your situation when submitting to PLOS. We are still investigating potential solutions to this issue and until we have determined a standard course of action, we will work with authors for whom this presents a challenge.
A second point to clarify is that the Data Policy states the “minimal dataset” consists “of the dataset used to reach the conclusions drawn in the manuscript with related metadata and methods, and any additional data required to replicate the reported study findings in their entirety.” We want to be clear that this does not mean that authors must submit their entire dataset, or absolutely all raw data collected during an investigation, but that they must provide the portion that is relevant to the specific study.
As of March 1, 2014, authors submitting their research manuscript to PLOS journals will find a field in the online submission form where they will be asked to provide the data availability information, which will then be available to editors and reviewers during the review process and, in the event of publication, will be published with the article. Research studies that are submitted March 1, 2014 or later, and are published, will thus all include such a data availability statement. Authors may choose to include a published data availability statement for articles submitted before this cut-off, subject to practical considerations.
The intent of the PLOS Data Policy is to facilitate data availability and transparency. We encourage authors with questions or concerns to contact the individual PLOS journal, or the Data Policy team at
We thank all the members of the PLOS Data Policy team, PLOS staff, Academic Editors, and Editors in Chief for their invaluable contributions to this policy and process. We particularly thank Emma Veitch, Senior Editor,