Data Availability Policy
Data Availability Policy
A result nobody can check is not a result. Every paper carries a Data Availability Statement saying where the underlying data sits and on what terms — including, where necessary, an honest statement that it cannot be shared.
Last reviewed August 2026 · Applies to all submissions to JMVRA (ISSN 2984-8911)
JMVRA encourages authors to make the data behind their findings available to other researchers. Openly shared data lets results be verified, reused and built upon — and papers with accessible data are cited more often. Sharing is encouraged, not mandatory; a statement is mandatory.
Choose the Statement That Fits
- Publicly available in a repository: “The data supporting this study are openly available in [repository] at [DOI or URL].”
- Included in the article: “All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary files.”
- Available on request: “The data supporting this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.” Only use this if you genuinely will respond.
- Restricted for ethical or legal reasons: “Data are not publicly available because they contain information that could compromise participant privacy. De-identified data may be available from [contact] subject to [conditions].”
- Third-party data: “The data were obtained from [source] and are available at [URL] with the permission of [owner].”
- No data: “No new data were created or analysed in this study.” Correct for reviews, theoretical papers and commentary.
Where to Deposit
General Repositories
Zenodo, figshare, Dryad and Open Science Framework accept data from any discipline and issue a citable DOI.
Subject Repositories
Discipline-specific archives are preferred where one exists — they apply the metadata standards your field actually uses.
Institutional Repositories
Your university archive is a valid choice, provided the record is publicly discoverable and has a persistent identifier.
Supplementary Files
Small datasets can be submitted alongside the manuscript and published with it.
Code & Scripts
Analysis code should be deposited too, with a licence and enough documentation to run it. A GitHub release archived to Zenodo gives it a DOI.
Controlled Access
For sensitive data, a repository offering mediated access preserves verifiability without exposing participants.
The FAIR Principles
| Principle | In Practice |
|---|---|
| Findable | Deposited with a persistent identifier (a DOI) and rich metadata, so it can be located by search. |
| Accessible | Retrievable by a standard, open protocol. Metadata stays available even where the data itself is restricted. |
| Interoperable | Stored in open, non-proprietary formats — CSV rather than a spreadsheet binary, plain text rather than a vendor format. |
| Reusable | Documented with a codebook, units, collection method and a clear licence, so a stranger can use it correctly. |
When Data Should Not Be Shared
Openness never overrides participant protection. There are legitimate reasons not to publish a dataset, and stating one honestly is entirely acceptable:
Valid Reasons to Restrict
- Personal or identifiable participant data
- Consent that did not cover data sharing
- Commercially confidential or contractually restricted data
- Locations of endangered species or protected sites
- Legally protected or security-sensitive information
What to Do Instead
- Share a de-identified or aggregated version
- Deposit with a controlled-access repository
- Publish the metadata and codebook even if not the data
- Share the analysis code, which is rarely sensitive
- State the restriction and who to contact
Where the Data Availability Policy Applies
The stages of a paper’s journey this policy governs are highlighted.
Applies at: Prepare · Submit · Publish
Data Availability Policy in Brief
Research results should be checkable. Every paper in JMVRA includes a Data Availability Statement explaining where the underlying data can be found and on what terms, or why it cannot be shared.
Depositing data in a recognised open repository is encouraged, following the FAIR principles — findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. Where data must be restricted for privacy, ethics or legal reasons, an honest statement explaining the restriction is acceptable.
