Untangling data sharing and reuse in social sciences

Abstract

The discipline of social science has unique research norms and cultures regarding data sharing and reuse that can be affected by complex factors related to context, time and dependence on human subjects. Compared with STEM disciplines, social sciences emphasize the protection of study participants and observees. Extra effort is required from reusers to preserve data interconnectedness in order to guarantee the data's understandability and informative value. In this panel, the panelists will present their research findings and provide perspective on social science data sharing and reuse, including factors that may influence data reuse behavior, researchers' trust judgment in data for data reuse, and infrastructural barriers and incentives for data sharing among social scientists. This panel aims to provide an overview of the current state of social science data reuse and sharing, and, in collaboration with panel participants, elicit topics for future research. It also proposes a practical agenda to develop alternative incentives for individual researchers, and potential ways in which data sharing and reuse can be improved, coordinated, and encouraged among social scientists.