Data papers

What is a Data Paper?

In the traditional world of academia, researchers usually publish “Research Papers” that focus on hypotheses, methods, and conclusions. However, as data becomes the most valuable asset in modern science, a new type of publication has emerged: the Data Paper.

The Core Concept

A Data Paper is a peer-reviewed scholarly publication whose primary purpose is to describe a specific dataset rather than report on a specific investigation or test a hypothesis. Think of it as a “biography” of a dataset. It provides all the necessary context—the who, what, where, when, and how—behind the data collection.

Key Components

While a standard paper focuses on “Why does this happen?”, a Data Paper focuses on:

  • Metadata: Detailed information about the data (format, size, structure).
  • Methods: A transparent account of how the data was collected, processed, and cleaned.
  • Usage Potential: Suggestions on how other researchers might use this data for their own studies.
  • Accessibility: A persistent link (like a DOI) to a repository where the raw data is actually stored.

Why are Data Papers Important?

  1. Credit for Data Creators: Historically, people who spent years collecting high-quality data (like field biologists or survey designers) didn’t get much “academic credit” unless they wrote a full analysis. Data Papers allow them to be cited specifically for their data-gathering efforts.
  2. Transparency and Reproducibility: By documenting the exact steps taken to create a dataset, other scientists can verify the work or replicate the process accurately.
  3. Data Discovery: These papers are indexed in search engines and databases, making it much easier for other researchers to find your data and reuse it, which increases the impact of the original work.

Data Paper vs. Dataset

It is important to distinguish between the two. The dataset is the raw file (CSV, JSON, etc.) sitting in a repository. The Data Paper is the narrative document that explains that file so that a human can understand it years later.

In short: If a dataset is a “product,” the Data Paper is the “user manual” that makes that product valuable to the rest of the world.

Webinar

A Webinar on Data Papers produced by the GBIF is available here.

Journals of Italian Scientific Societies which accept data papers

This is a list of the journals (in alphabetical order) which are issued by Italian Scientific Societies - that accept data papers, together with the APC fees. A complete list of all journals that accept data papers is avalaible at the Data Papers page of the GBIF portal.

  • Biogeographia (Italian Biogeography Society), eScholarship Diamond OA, € 0
  • Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana (Italian Enthomologic Society), PAGEPress OA, € 100 (free for the members of the Society)
  • Ethology Ecology & Evolution, T&F Hybrid OA, € 3170
  • European Zoological Journal (Italian Zoological Union), T&F OA, € 1.615 (free for the members of the Society)
  • Hystrix (Italian Mammal Society), ATIt Diamond OA, € 0
  • iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry (Italian Society of Silvicolture and Forest Ecology), SISEF Diamond OA, € 0
  • Italian Botanist (Italian Botanical Society), Pensoft OA, € 650 + € 25 for each page above 10 pages
  • Journal of Limnology (National Council of Research), PAGEPress OA, € 600
  • Plant Biosystems (Italian Botanical Society), Springer Hybrid OA, € 2.790
  • SIBM, Biologia Marina Mediterranea, not OA