Thanks to everyone who replied to my question

We will probably advise the researcher to include contact details for the third parties where possible or to provide a link to a web page which can be updated as when the data become publicly available. This should hopefully meet the EPSRC expectations.  In this instance the researcher has assured us that there are no legal or ethical complications regarding access and reuse of the data, but your replies have been really useful in highlighting the range of complicating factors involved when sharing data outputs that make use of derived data.  This is the first enquiry about 3rd party data we have received, but I doubt it will be the last. 

Thanks again,

Wayne

Wayne Peters
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-----Original Message-----
From: Research Data Management discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andy Turner
Sent: 29 May 2015 14:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: EPSRC and third party data

Hi

It would be good if the paper were very clear about the sources of the third party data, and what specifically they are, and provide (or link to) metadata that details the arrangement (license/data sharing agreement) under which these data were provided etc. There could be statements about:
1) How the data may be made available to further research either from the research institutions that hold a copy (or not), or by contacting the "data owning" third parties (and the likelihood of this happening at all). 
2) Plans to make the data available more generally

All the details could be made available on a web page that is updated over time.

A few more points for consideration:
1) Consideration should be given about the effects on third parties with regard potential requests for data from others.
2) It is important that if the data descriptive metadata are not readily available, that there is an effort to surface it. (There may be a circumstance when this is not sensible, but assuming there is to be an open access publication rather than some restricted access confidential report, then it seems fair to assume that the descriptive metadata are releasable - and this is something institutions could support on behalf of third parties...)
3) I think it is right to highlight social science research as a problem area for research data management in this respect. One issue beyond sensitivity is that the volume of all the data is likely always to be beyond our systems capabilities (I may be wrong about that, but it the scale is hard to fathom (I don't think we have a data centre that can store all social media data let alone all the administrative data beyond the small datasets like the census that might already be being stored - all data from the third sector, the public sector (including government, NHS etc), and a large proportion of it from the private sector is potentially third party social science research data)).

HTH

Andy
________________________________________
From: Research Data Management discussion list [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Library, Economics Collection [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 May 2015 12:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: EPSRC and third party data

Dear Wayne,

The solution suggested by Benedikt seems fine in this case...

More generally, you raise an issue of real importance.  'Third party' or 'mixed source' data is common in the social sciences and economics.  Data inputs are frequently heterogeneous - so there are issues about whether, when, how and where to share data outputs that include third party sourced components.

Sometimes data is sourced from paid, library-licensed data resources; sometimes it is sourced from other researchers; sometimes it is sourced from an open data source - with or without specific license terms.  Frequently, there is a mix of these - plus the researchers' original data.

The extent of the elaboration of the data is important when deciding if the derived dataset can be made available on an open basis.

If the data is significantly elaborated - ie. essentially a new 'work' - there should not be a significant problem.  (Indeed large data providers sell data precisely so that it can be elaborated in research projects).

But if the principal investigator is re-platforming large amounts of 'raw' data from a third party (eg. to provide evidence) then the Library or Data Centre should liaise with the P.I. and the owner of the third party data components before a decision regarding open data access is made.

With best wishes,

Thomas

http://www.eui.eu/Research/Library/ResearchGuides/Economics/Index.aspx




From: Research Data Management discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Benedikt Fecher
Sent: 29 May 2015 10:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: EPSRC and third party data

Hi Wayne,
I suppose that depends on the journal's data availability policy and suggest that your colleague reads them carefully.

Sometimes/often journals with data availability policies allow the researcher withholding data if there is a good reason for it, for example privacy or third party interests. To be honest, I know not so many journals that are really strict with data publication. Once the others have published, your colleague could link to the dataset.
Hope that helps, best regards,
benedikt

2015-05-29 10:31 GMT+02:00 Wayne Peters <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>:
We have an enquiry from a researcher due to publish a paper that has used third party data which is due to be made publicly available, but not before their paper is published. Any ideas as to how they should address this in their data access statement? Would it be OK just to acknowledge that they have relied on third party data for their findings, state that the data will be publicly available shortly and to give our email address as a contact for interested parties seeking further information? The researcher does not know the exact date when the data will be made publicly available - only that it will be.



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