Research Data Management Services Frequently Asked Questions

• Log in to https://dataverse.tdl.org using your institutional username and password. You’ll see a drop down menu where you can select your institution’s name. Then just use your regular institutional credentials to log in.
• Optionally, create a new Dataverse collection for collecting all your datasets in a single location. A Dataverse collection is simply a container for collecting multiple datasets or studies.
• Add a dataset, which can include multiple files such as raw data files and supplementary materials.
• To help others discover and understand the data, provide some information about what you’ve uploaded in the forms provided.
• Hit publish! Or, if you would like to restrict access to the data, you can share only with a select few.
• Go to the TDR User Guide for more detail.

• Researchers can deposit a wide variety of data and related electronic materials to the Texas Data Repository, including spreadsheets, sensor and instrument data, surveys, GIS data, and imagery, along with associated material such as codebooks or data dictionaries. Any individual file uploaded to the repository must be under 4GB, though any uploads over 2GB, and some below that threshold, may be slow or stall due to variables outside of TDL's control. Please email support@tdl.org if you having trouble uploading files. If you have files over 4GB, we will consider support options on a case by case basis and in consultation with your Institutional TDR liaison.
• The Texas Data Repository encourages data deposit from all disciplines and can accept any type of data file, though it is advisable to provide data in non-proprietary formats in order to ensure broader use for researchers with access to different analytic software.
• By default, published data is assigned a CC0 license, so that others may freely access and build upon the work. Researchers can alter this license and create custom terms of use for their data if appropriate.
• The Texas Data Repository does NOT accept content that contains confidential or sensitive information, and requires that contributors remove, replace, or redact such information from datasets prior to upload. Confidential or sensitive information refers to all identifiable information, such that re-identification of any subjects from the amalgamation of the information available from all of the materials is possible and can include: social security numbers; credit card numbers; medical record numbers; health plan numbers; other account numbers of individuals; or biometric identifiers (fingerprints, retina, voice print, DNA, etc.).

• Researchers can upload any type of data file through the Dataverse software. Additional features and support for certain types of data files exist, such as:
  • Tabular data (CSV, RData, DTA) - more info here
  • GIS Shape data (DBS, PRJ, SBN, SBX, SHP.xml, SHP.EA.ISO.xml, SHP.iso.xml, SHX) - more info here
  • Astronomy data: FITS
• Whenever possible, it is advisable to provide data in non-proprietary formats (e.g., CSV or XML) in order to ensure broader use for researchers with access to different analytic software. Note that data must be provided in an electronic format. Additional information on best practices for file formats is available here.

• Any individual file uploaded to the repository must be under 4GB, though any uploads over 2GB, and some below that threshold, may be slow or stall due to variables outside of TDL's control. Using a wired connection for uploads over 2GB is recommended. You can upload as many files as you want to a dataset, which may include multiple files. Please email support@tdl.org if you having trouble uploading files.
• If you have files over 4GB, we will consider support options on a case by case basis and in consultation with your Institutional TDR liaison.

• No. Users of the repository must NOT add data to the repository that contains confidential or sensitive information.
• In order to deposit data in the repository, users must agree to a “terms of use” statement in which they acknowledge that the repository will NOT accept content that contains confidential or sensitive information, and requires that contributors remove, replace, or redact such information from datasets prior to upload.
• Confidential or sensitive information refers to all identifiable information, such that re-identification of any subjects from the amalgamation of the information available from all of the materials is possible and can include: social security numbers; credit card numbers; medical record numbers; health plan numbers; other account numbers of individuals; or biometric identifiers (fingerprints, retina, voice print, DNA, etc.).

• There are several ways to share data you deposit in the TDR without publishing the data. Go to the User Guide Sections 3.2 and 3.4 for more detail.
  • You can provide access to restricted files with anyone (whether they have a TDR user account or not) by creating a private URL.
  • You can include others with TDR user accounts to collaborate in the management of datasets, files, and Dataverse collections. More about sharing data.

• If you just want to provide “read” access to restricted files, you can create and share a private URL that anyone (whether they have a user account or not) can use to access the data. See Section 3.4 of the User Guide for instructions on sharing via a private URL.
• Other types of sharing and collaborating require that those you are sharing with have user accounts in the TDR. See Section 3.5 of the user guide for instructions on inviting them to create user accounts.

Any user who creates a Dataverse sub-collection is automatically the Administrator for that Dataverse collection. Depending on your own role in relations to a Dataverse collection or dataset in the repository, you may be able to assign roles to other users. You can simply locate the "Edit" button on the homepage of your Dataverse collections or dataset, then complete the procedures by the following steps: Permissions>> Users/groups>> Assigning roles to Users/Groups >> grant permission by entering user/group's net ID and role

The DMPTool helps researchers create data management plans (DMPs). It provides guidance from specific funders who require DMPs, but the tool can be used by anyone interested in developing generic DMPs to help facilitate their research. The tool also offers resources and services available at participating institutions to help fulfill data management requirements.

Data management plans are the intellectual property of their creators. The California Digital Library makes no claim of copyright or ownership to the data management plans created using the DMPTool. You can, however, choose to share your plan publicly and it will appear in our library of public plans on the DMPTool website. This will benefit other DMPTool users and promote open research.

Yes, The Quick Start Guide is available on TXST LibGuide. It is a PDF file that you can download for use.

The Funder Requirements page provides direct links to funder guidelines, as well as sample plans if provided. You do not have to be logged into the DMPTool to access this page.

Since the DMPTool account is tied to an email address, the information will not automatically follow a user if they change institutions. However, DMPTool can connect users to their plans from previous institutions if they DMPTool here. Users who change institutions and assume new institutional credentials must create a new DMPTool account.

The DMPTool hosts a collection of public plans. The collection contains actual plans created by DMPTool users who have opted to share their plans publicly. Please note that these plans have not been vetted for quality. Some funders provide sample plans on their websites; links to these plans are available on the Funder Requirements page.