SNAP Data Principles & Policy
SNAP: Science for Nature and People fosters collaborative, integrative research through a multi-disciplinary working group model, bringing together data from a variety of sources for robust synthesis and analysis to solve major challenges at the intersection of nature conservation and human wellbeing.
When making societally important decisions based on science, it’s more important than ever that the underlying data be publicly available. The value of global scientific collaborations and synthetic research builds on the synergies derived from sharing and disseminating data. The spirit of “Open Science”- making scientific research, and its supporting data and information, accessible to all levels of society- is at the heart of the SNAP Data Principles.
Accordingly, all Working Groups participants must agree to the following policies regarding the treatment of the data used in their SNAP-supported analyses and syntheses:
Derived Data
SNAP requires that all derived datacreated during a SNAP research projectbe well documented and preserved in a long-term data repository (e.g. KNB Data Repository, NODC, NCDC, Dryad) as it is generated, unless the SNAP Executive Director has granted an explicit, written exception.
- We define derived data as any data that involved considerable SNAP-supported effort in their creation, collation, organization, and presentation. We employ this policy because most of the data used in SNAP research was previously collected and used under other auspices. The goal is to preserve the data and associated information for future users so they can fully understand and use the data independent of the original data producer. Storing well-documented data in a long-term repository will ensure that it is safe and accessible into perpetuity and will support the reproducibility of the science that backs SNAP actions.
- The data can be embargoed for use solely by the Working Group for up to six months after the project is completed. NCEAS computing staff can provide technical assistance with archiving of derived data.
All Data
SNAP strongly encourages that all dataused during a SNAP research project be well documented, preserved, and openly accessible in a long-term data repository (e.g. KNB Data Repository, NODC, NCDC, Dryad). Exceptions will be considered for cases of sensitive human subjects data, sensitive species location data, data that cannot be legally redistributed, and for other justifiably extenuating circumstances.
- Significant efforts are generally invested in discovering and organizing the existing heterogeneous and distributed data necessary to accomplish a new SNAP synthesis or integrative analysis. Following up directly on these efforts is an excellent time to contribute original and supporting data to long-term repositories, as the details and sources of the data are typically well known and understand at that time. Storing data in a long-term repository will ensure that it is safe, accessible into perpetuity, and will support the reproducibility of the science that backs SNAP actions. NCEAS computing staff can provide technical assistance with archiving of original data.
Intellectual Property Rights
SNAP recognizes and respects the intellectual property rights of data owners, who contribute their data to SNAP research projects
- SNAP embraces the principles of Open Science and advocates for sharing of the data and information that inform scientific analyses. However, we acknowledge that differences still exist among national, institutional, cultural, and personal attitudes towards data sharing that create impediments for Open Science. We are actively working with agencies, publishers, and societies to increase the credit/attribution for sharing data; and are happy to discuss the advantages of Open Science accruing from sharing data.
- Exceptions to contributing SNAP-supported data to long-term repositories will be considered for cases involving sensitive human subjects data, species location data, data that cannot be legally redistributed, and for other justifiably extenuating circumstances. Simply not wanting to share data alone is insufficient justification for an exception.NCEAS provides staffing and computing resources to assist with data documentation (description adequate for data exchange) and accessibility for both derived and original data.
- Publishing data involving human subjects may require a review by the University of California, Santa Barbara Institutional Review Board and will be published only in a de-identified (anonymous) form. SNAP participants from outside the U.S. are expected to comply with the relevant laws in their countries and places of research.
SNAP research data, analyses, and product reporting expectations also include:
- All publications, white papers, conference presentations, visualization tools, etc. resulting from SNAP supported research must acknowledge SNAP support, and a copy sent to SNAP () at the time of publication or event occurrence. Click here for sample acknowledgement language and SNAP logos.
- All SNAP projects must identify at leastonetechnical liaisonto engage with NCEAS IT staff and scientific programmer, to identify the computing services required to support their analysis and informatics needs including: collaboration capabilities (project management, web-presence, email aliases, etc.), data entry and organization, database development, statistical analysis/computational resources, modeling and coding practices, and metadata development and distribution.
- Software generated for SNAP projects, including all scripts and models should be free, open source (universal access) when possible, and deposited in an appropriate archive and/or version control system. To improve research reproducibility, we encourage the use of public software when possible. NCEAS technical staff can consult and advise on choices of scientific software. Software developed by SNAP/NCEAS staff will be maintained at NCEAS, and used where appropriate to support other SNAP activities.
- Extenuating circumstances that may prevent full complianceshould be discussed with the SNAP Executive Director.