Data submission guidelines

At the conclusion of a research study, researchers should prepare the research data products for publication within two years of collection. Examples of research products include:

  • Raw data collected during field work (pre-processing)
  • The models (code, batch files, etc.) used to process these data
  • Spatial data files
  • Classified or processed remotely sensed images
  • Supporting documentation (notes, photos, etc.)
  • Interviews and codebooks
  • Laboratory analysis outputs (text files, machine output)

Each product submitted, whether it be tabular data or one of these other products, should be supplied with metadata. Most of this valuable information (data about your data) will have been collected during the course of your study and it will need to be part of the published data package to enable a third party to understand your data.

When you are ready to publish your data, here is how:

  1. Let the CAP LTER Information Manager know that you would like to submit data.The CAP LTER Information Manager will guide you on how to organize your data for the archive, and share tips for an optimal data publishing experience.
  2. Send the data and completed metadata templates to the CAP LTER Information Manager.
  3. Stay in touch. Please be available to answer questions about the data until they are published.
  4. Review the draft. The Information Manager will provide a draft data package for you to review before making it public. Work with the Information Manager to make corrections if needed, and provide approval once the data package has been crafted to your satisfaction.

Once the data package is archived and has a DOI, please cite the data package in any related publications both in a data dissemination section if relevant and, especially, in the references section.

Thank you!