Every Dataset has a Story

Abstract

Downloading has historically been the primary communication between researchers and data archives due, in part, to bandwidth limitations. Today’s network connections allow for more two-way communication between researchers and archives. Researchers can continue to download data and codebooks, but they can also contribute notes, programs, scales and narratives about analyzing archived data. These stories can expand upon documentation and help mentor new researchers by allowing them to learn from others’ experience with the data. Stories can become data for analysis; however, stories about data can also become enhanced documentation and metadata. One challenge for a 21st century archive is how to encourage and enable end-user contributions. Shared community knowledge and experience about data will enrich the scientific enterprise, in addition to specific datasets. Integrating end-user contributions into archival activities will require some “pump priming.” The Data Sharing for Demographic Research (DSDR) project at ICPSR (University of Michigan) is engaging data users so that they will contribute back information. The DSDR initiatives focused on end-user contributions include: • Mini interviews with study PIs to tell stories of why datasets were collected; and • Stories from researchers about their data experience, particularly if they overcame obstacles when analyzing data.