Abstract:
This presentation will focus on the policies, workflows, editorial interventions, and technological innovations Springer Nature has deployed to facilitate the sharing of open research artifacts. In the context of requirements from funders/institutions, and the needs of different research communities, what is Springer Nature doing to eliminate barriers to participation?

Summary of Conversations

The discussion centered on motivating researchers to share their data and promoting open science practices. It was emphasized that while mandates from funders and institutions are impactful, the intrinsic motivations of researchers, such as increased citations and societal impact, should not be overlooked. A significant challenge remains in providing researchers with sufficient credit for data sharing due to inconsistencies in measuring data metrics. Publishers play a crucial role through policies, technological solutions, and editorial interventions aimed at reducing administrative burdens. Examples included implementing unified data sharing policies, automating data deposition, and actively engaging editors to encourage data sharing.

Take Away Messages/ Current Status of Challenges

Here are the key takeaways:

• Researchers are primarily motivated by increased citations and recognition for their work.
• Lack of consistent data metrics across platforms hinders proper crediting for data sharing.
• Funder-driven data sharing mandates face declining support, indicating a need for better understanding of researcher motivations.
• Publishers are vital in promoting open science through policy implementation and technological advancements.
• Editorial intervention can significantly influence author behavior towards data sharing.
• Concerns over getting ‘scooped’, data privacy, research security, and indigenous data sovereignty also prevent data sharing.
• Solutions are emerging to mitigate privacy concerns and enable data sharing.
• Automating data deposition and linking data to published articles increases recognition.

Recommendations/Next Steps

Here are the recommended next steps:

• Develop standardized metrics to consistently measure and reward data sharing across platforms.
• Funders and policymakers should use survey data to better understand and address researcher motivations for open access.
• Further refine publisher policies to reduce administrative burdens and promote data accessibility.
• Expand technological solutions that automate data deposition, code sharing, and preprinting processes.
• Encourage editorial interventions to challenge authors opting out of data sharing and promote public data availability.
• Address researcher concerns regarding data privacy, security, and potential scooping through education and support.
• Continue supporting and developing resources like the Data Citation Corpus to improve data citation practices.
• Foster collaboration between researchers, publishers, funders, and policymakers to create a supportive ecosystem for open science.