{"id":39890,"date":"2021-01-21T10:44:24","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T15:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/?page_id=39890"},"modified":"2026-05-27T23:39:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T23:39:16","slug":"data-policy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/data-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Research Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"section\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 24pt\"><strong>Open Research Policy<br>\n<\/strong><\/span><div id=\"squelch-taas-tab-group-0\" class=\"squelch-taas-tab-group squelch-taas-override\" data-title=\"\" data-disabled=\"false&quot; data-collapsible=\"false&quot; data-active=\"0\" data-event=\"click\"><ul><li class=\"squelch-taas-tab\"><a href=\"#panel-tab-content-0-0\">Overview<\/a><\/li><li class=\"squelch-taas-tab\"><a href=\"#panel-tab-content-0-1\">Details<\/a><\/li><li class=\"squelch-taas-tab\"><a href=\"#panel-tab-content-0-2\">Choosing a Repository<\/a><\/li><li class=\"squelch-taas-tab\"><a href=\"#panel-tab-content-0-3\">Mechanics and Examples<\/a><\/li><li class=\"squelch-taas-tab\"><a href=\"#panel-tab-content-0-4\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div id=\"panel-tab-content-0-0\" class=\"\">\n<h3>OVERVIEW<\/h3>\n<p>ESA has adopted a society-wide Open Research Policy for its publications to further support scientific exploration and preservation, allow a full assessment of published research, and streamline policies across our family of journals. An open research policy provides full transparency for scientific data and code, facilitates replication and synthesis, and aligns ESA journals with current standards. As of 1 February 2021, all new manuscript submissions to ESA journals must abide by the following policy.<\/p>\n<p>As a condition for publication in ESA journals, all underlying data and novel statistical code pertinent to the results presented in the publication must be made available in a permanent, publicly accessible data archive or repository upon acceptance of a manuscript, with rare exceptions (see the \u201cDetails\u201d section for more information). Archived data and novel statistical code should be sufficiently complete to allow replication of tables, graphs, and statistical analyses reported in the original publication, and perform new or meta-analyses. As such, the desire of authors to control additional research with these data and\/or code shall not be grounds for withholding material.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, for the purpose of this policy, the following underlying material is required:<\/p>\n<p>Raw data and metadata used to generate tables, figures, plots, videos\/animations<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Novel code or computer software utilized to generate results or analyses<\/li>\n<li>All methods or protocols utilized to generate the data, both existing (including references) and new methods\/protocols<\/li>\n<li>Derived data products<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Please see the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/data-policy\/#details\">Details<\/a>\u201d section for definitions of each bulleted item above.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">ESA Data Editors<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">To further ESA\u2019s commitment to Open Science and\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"font-size: revert\" href=\"https:\/\/www.go-fair.org\/fair-principles\/\">FAIR<\/a><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">\u00a0(Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles, two Data Editors are available to guide authors and ensure compliance with ESA\u2019s Open Research Policy. If you have any questions about data and code archiving policies while preparing your submission, please send an email to\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"font-size: revert\" href=\"mailto:esajournals@esa.org\">esajournals@esa.org<\/a><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\"> and a Data Editor will respond.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Amanda Droghini is a data manager at the Alaska Center for Conservation Science with a background in wildlife ecology. She is dedicated to making ecology more reproducible and is keen to help authors implement best practices for sharing their data and their code.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Nathan Kiel is a plant ecologist and post-doctoral associate at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He seeks to positively contribute to the science publishing landscape in several ways, including participating in a review on best practices for data curation in large ecological databases and contributing data to public repositories.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"entry-footer\"><span class=\"edit-link\"><a class=\"post-edit-link\" href=\"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=27&amp;action=edit\">Edit<\/a><\/span><\/footer>\n<\/div><div id=\"panel-tab-content-0-1\" class=\"\">\n<h3 id=\"details\">DETAILS<\/h3>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong><em>Ecology \u201c<\/em>Data Paper\u201d and \u201cStatistical Reports\u201d\/\u201dStatistical Innovations\u201d and <em>Ecological Applications<\/em> \u201cMethod\u201d <\/strong><strong>Submissions<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At the submission stage for all \u201cData Paper\u201d, \u201cStatistical Report\u201d, and \u201cStatistical Innovations\u201d manuscripts in <em>Ecology<\/em>, and all \u201cMethod\u201d manuscripts in <em>Ecological Applications<\/em>, authors must make data and novel code available in an external repository for the peer review process. A repository with a private-for-peer-review option is recommended, but a public posting is also acceptable for review. Authors are required to archive the same material in a public repository upon acceptance for publication in <em>Ecology<\/em> or <em>Ecological Applications<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The section name for \u201cStatistical Reports\u201d in <em>Ecology<\/em> transitioned to \u201cStatistical Innovations\u201d in early 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Note: For Data Papers in <em>Ecology<\/em> that were submitted through Spring 2026, data and code files are submitted as supporting information.\u00a0Complete guidelines for Data Papers are available on the <a href=\"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/ecology-data-papers\/\"><em>Ecology<\/em> Data Papers hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>All other ESA Journals Submissions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">Raw data, metadata, and derived data products must be provided in an appropriate external archive if a manuscript is accepted. At the submission stage for\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun CommentStart SCXW146113725 BCX0\">most<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">\u00a0ESA<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">\u00a0manuscript types and journals<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">\u00a0(see the exceptions above)<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">, data should not be uploaded alongside your submission in the file list. Authors are not required to provide data at <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">th<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">e submission<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">\u00a0stage, but it is strongly encouraged that authors deposit data\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">i<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">n an external repository\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">prior to manuscript submission to allow Subject-matter Editors and\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW146113725 BCX0\">reviewers<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">\u00a0access. Many repositories now offer a private-for-peer-review\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW146113725 BCX0\">option<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">\u00a0and we strongly encourage authors to use this approach<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">Novel code must be supplied\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">as private-for-peer review\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">i<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">n an external repository\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">during the review process. <\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW146113725 BCX0\" data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}'><span class=\"TextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">At the submission stage<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW146113725 BCX0\">, code should not be uploaded with your submission in the file list.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Supporting Information Restrictions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>In addition to our requirements for the presentation and archival of data and novel code, restrictions on the inclusion and formatting of specific pieces of supporting information are now in effect. The following items can only be made available as part of our Open Research Policy and cannot be included with a submission in the file list:<\/p>\n<p>1) Spreadsheets (.xlsx, .csv, etc.)<br>\n2) Large tables<\/p>\n<p>If the above items are included with your submission, your manuscript will be returned to you to ensure it follows our Open Research policy guidelines. The \u201cAppendix\u201d and \u201cData\u201d designations should be considered a simple naming convention used to identify which material will be presented in PDF format (appendices) or spreadsheet format (data). For a definition of a \u201clarge table\u201d please see \u201cHow do I know if my table is allowed as supporting information?\u201d in our FAQ section.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>After Acceptance<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Following manuscript acceptance, complete data and novel code must be registered in a repository to be made available at the time of publication. ESA Publications staff will verify data and code archiving is complete before releasing files to the publisher. By depositing data and code prior to publication of a manuscript, a permanent link and formal citation can be included in the published paper.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Exceptions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Exceptions to this policy are granted only in rare cases as follows and must be fully disclosed by the author at the time of submission.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sensitive and confidential information should be redacted as required, including but not limited to precise locations of sampling on private lands, Indigenous territory, or sacred sites; locality data for rare, threatened, or endangered species; identity of human subjects.<\/li>\n<li>In cases in which authors are not the legal data owner and cannot release the data (for example, commercial sources for fish landings), the author should provide sufficient query information so another researcher could seek to obtain the same data, and such limitations must be disclosed at the time of manuscript submission.<\/li>\n<li>All data on human subjects need to be anonymized to protect the identification of study participants; data from human subjects must be accompanied by an approval statement of the research project by the author\u2019s institutional ethics review committee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Definitions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong><em>Raw data and metadata:<\/em><\/strong> Raw data are not summarized data in the form of tables of means and standard deviations. Raw data are those used to perform statistical analyses and enable reuse for new or meta-analyses. Data should be provided in non-proprietary, machine-readable formats (e.g., \u201c.csv\u201d). Archived data sets must be accompanied by clear and precise metadata that allow others to readily use files, describing each column of a data set (e.g., locations; elements of experimental design; experimental units; measured variables, methods to measure each variable and units; species abbreviations; etc.).<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cNovel\u201d Code:<\/em><\/strong> To ensure appropriate code is presented to our readers, any novel code associated with the paper must be provided with the initial manuscript submission for peer review and editorial approval. Novel code is any code that cannot be directly cited and falls under two categories:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>A function or package you have created yourself<\/li>\n<li>A function or package you have edited to the extent that you can\u2019t simply cite an existing function or package<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">We require a version of record (the exact version described in the paper that allows a reader to replicate the results presented) provided in the native format of the code file. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">This material must be <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">provided\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">i<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">n an external repository\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">during the peer review process<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">We strongly encourage using a repository with a private-for-peer review option, but a public repository posting is also acceptable. <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">If the manuscript is accepted, we<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">\u00a0require publication of\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">the code<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">\u00a0in an\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">external<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">\u00a0repository that permits future updates with versioning control. Novel code in an outside repository must also be properly cited and referenced in the final publication. Code that\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW240364876 BCX0\">is not novel (e.g., from a standard statistical package or publicly available model) must be properly cited and referenced.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>If your code is not novel, please state this clearly in your Open Research statement. If your statement is ambiguous, the journal\u2019s editorial staff will contact you for further details.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Methods or protocols:<\/em><\/strong> Use of known methodology\/protocols should be cited appropriately with complete references. Detailed information describing new methodology should be presented in the main text (such as within a \u201cMethods\u201d section) or within an Appendix to be published alongside the manuscript as Supporting Information.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Derived data products:<\/em><\/strong> This constitutes data which are collected from database source(s) and collated and\/or processed specific to the current research. Complete data source documentation and metadata are required, along with formal citation references. Details regarding data processing steps and assumptions should be clearly defined.<\/p>\n<\/div><div id=\"panel-tab-content-0-2\" class=\"\">\n<h3 id=\"repositories\">CHOOSING A REPOSITORY<\/h3>\n<p>Data and code must be deposited in a permanent, trusted repository. These guidelines must be followed for both final storage and any material provided as private-for-peer review.<\/p>\n<p>Personal author pages on institutional websites (such as a lab or project page) do not suffice, nor do generic cloud-storage services (such as Google Drive, Box, Sharepoint, Nimbus, or Dropbox), even if these services are licensed through a university or institution.<\/p>\n<p>ESA maintains an extensive list of approved repositories; we encourage you to peruse the General Tips below and contact us with any general questions.<\/p>\n<p>Authors that publish in ESA journals can deposit their associated data and code packages in Dryad at no cost (up to 10 GB; materials must be curated by Dryad after January 1, 2026 to qualify for fee coverage under ESA sponsorship). Using Dryad will ensure compliance with ESA\u2019s open research policies, and all datasets are curated by Dryad to ensure they are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.go-fair.org\/fair-principles\/\">FAIR<\/a>). We encourage you to explore <a href=\"https:\/\/datadryad.org\/help\">Dryad\u2019s services<\/a>\u00a0and consider this option for data and code archiving purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Authors using other external repositories are responsible for any fees charged by that repository.<\/p>\n<p>Please note that the repository you select must present the material in English or offer a translation to English.<\/p>\n<p><strong>General Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To guarantee reviewer anonymity, repositories that are used for \u201cprivate-for-peer review\u201d sharing cannot require a reviewer to log in. Please see our FAQ section (\u201cWhat are the requirements for \u201cprivate-for-peer review\u201d storage?\u201d) for more information.<\/li>\n<li>A trusted repository will assign a DOI or other permanent identifier to the material and guarantees the material to be available in perpetuity.<\/li>\n<li>When possible, choose a repository that specializes in your scientific field to promote interoperability and reuse.<\/li>\n<li>Use of a repository run by the institution\/affiliation\/government agency of the author(s) is encouraged; this staff can be an excellent support system and help authors comply with institute and\/or funder requirements.<\/li>\n<li>The Dryad data repository provides a flexible platform for a wide variety of digital data. ESA was a founding partner when Dryad began and our current sponsorship includes submission integration and fee coverage (up to 10 GB; materials must be curated by Dryad after January 1, 2026 to qualify for fee coverage under ESA sponsorship).<\/li>\n<li>A no-cost general repository option such as Figshare can be utilized.<\/li>\n<li>Other examples of permanent repositories include GenBank for DNA sequences, ORNL-DAAC for biogeochemical data, Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity, the NSF Arctic Data Center, and the Environmental Data Initiative (EDI).<\/li>\n<li>A Zenodo DOI must be obtained for GitHub material to ensure permanency and versioning. Instructions for obtaining a Zenodo DOI can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/guides.github.com\/activities\/citable-code\/\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><div id=\"panel-tab-content-0-3\" class=\"\">\n<h3>MECHANICS AND EXAMPLES<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Online submission form in the ScholarOne system:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At the new submission and revision stages, please consult the numbered list below. After determining the options that apply to you, please do the following: i) Note which options apply to you and disclose the current\/future availability of data and code, affirming as many as needed in the Comment Box of the \u201cOpen Research\u201d section of the ScholarOne online submission form, AND ii) Add an Open Research statement on the manuscript\u2019s title page that includes any extra requirements for your choice(s) for disclosing the availability of data and code. Submission requirements for each choice are shown in <strong>[bold].<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1. No data were collected for this study (i.e., theoretical, review, opinion, editorial papers).<\/p>\n<p>2. Data are already published and publicly available, with those publications properly cited in this submission.\u00a0<strong>[If choosing this option, include complete citations for the publicly available data sets you used for your manuscript. You must also include complete citation entries in the References section when possible and cite as appropriate in the main text. If the material was retrieved from an external database that does not use permanent identifiers for datasets, you must provide the necessary query details another qualified researcher would need to obtain the same data you accessed from the external database. Please note: This option is used only for material that is currently publicly available. Do not use this option to refer to the link where your data will eventually be made available if the manuscript is accepted.]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>3. Data are provided as private-for-peer review (shared privately or publicly on a repository). <strong>[If choosing this option, in the Open Research statement you must provide an active link to where the material is currently stored and state the intended repository where data will be permanently archived if the paper is accepted for publication. Data files can NOT be uploaded with your manuscript in the system.] <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>4. Data are not yet provided. <strong>[If choosing this option, you must disclose why in the Open Research statement, affirm data will be permanently archived if the paper is accepted for publication, and note the intended repository. Stating data will only be provided upon acceptance of the manuscript is permissible but be advised the Subject-matter Editor or reviewers may request to see this data during review if deemed necessary.]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>5. Data are sensitive and cannot be provided publicly (rare; examples include sensitive species data and human subject data). <strong>[If choosing this option, in the Open Research statement you must fully disclose what data are private and provide complete query and contact details so another qualified researcher can obtain the data. You must provide what data sets you can, with the sensitive data points redacted as necessary. This anonymized data must be provided following the standard archiving guidelines of our Open Research policy. ]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>6. <span class=\"TextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\">This submission uses\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW7686826 BCX0\">novel<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\">\u00a0code, which is provided, per our requirements, in an external repository to be evaluated during the peer review process.<strong> [Novel code files MUST be provided as private-for-peer review in an external archive. A repository with a private-for-peer review option is recommended (such as Dryad or\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW7686826 BCX0\">Figshare<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\">), but a public repository such as GitHub is acceptable. If choosing this option, your Open Research statement must include the link to the private-for-peer review storage location and state the intended repository where the code will also be permanently archived if the paper is accepted for publication.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\">If your code is not novel, please state this clearly in your Open Research statement.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW7686826 BCX0\">]<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Manuscript file:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The manuscript file should include an Open Research statement on the manuscript\u2019s title page that fully describes where readers can access all underlying data and\/or code. Statements to the effect of \u201cmaterial are available from the author(s)\u201d are not permissible. Examples of Open Research statements for accepted papers are provided below.<\/p>\n<p>At the submission stage, please consult the numbered list above and include a statement that meets one of these requirements.<\/p>\n<p>For final submissions of accepted manuscripts, this statement must convey complete data archiving details, including data source citations and formal literature citation entries. Note any access restrictions.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Examples of text for the \u201cOpen Research\u201d statement<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h5><strong>For data and\/or code that are currently available in a repository as private-for-peer review:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Data\u00a0and\/or code\u00a0are provided as private-for-peer review via the following link: [Link to external storage location]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>[Include an active link to the current location where data\u00a0and\/or code\u00a0can be retrieved]\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h5><strong>For data that are not yet provided, but will be archived upon acceptance:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Data are not yet provided<em> [Include the reason that data are not yet provided]<\/em>. Upon acceptance data will be archived in <em>[Include the name of the external repository you will be using].<\/em><\/p>\n<h5><strong>For previously published data currently stored in a repository by authors of this research paper:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Data (Smith et al. 2019) are available from Dryad: [Dryad data set DOI]<\/p>\n<p><em>[Include complete Smith et al. 2019 data set entry in the Literature Cited and cite as appropriate in the main text. Please note: This option is used only for material that is currently publicly available. Do not use this option to refer to the link where your data will eventually be made available if the manuscript is accepted.]<\/em><\/p>\n<h5><strong>For data previously released and published by individuals other than authors of this research paper:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Data sets utilized for this research are as follows: [citation(s) with DOI\/URL data set links]<\/p>\n<p><em>[Include complete citation entries in the Literature Cited when possible and cite as appropriate in the main text]<\/em><\/p>\n<h5><strong>For data retrieved from a public database:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>[Description of specific dataset retrieved] was retrieved from [name of database, including hyperlink]. Query details for retrieving the relevant data are as follows: [provide the necessary query details another qualified researcher would need to obtain the same data].<\/p>\n<p><em>[Query details should give specific information to direct a reader to download the same data sets you used for your manuscript and should be tailored to the database. Examples of query details include, directions to search pages, search terms used in web forms, the specific names of data sets you used from an available collection, etc. You should not simply state what data in your manuscript came from the database; you should describe how to retrieve it from the database.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If the query details are especially lengthy or complex, you can instead include the specific query details in an appendix and use the following format for the final sentence \u201cQuery details are described in [the appendix location where query details are provided]\u201d. This should point to a specific point of your appendix (such as a table or labeled section) where a reader can find the query details.]<\/em><\/p>\n<h5><strong>For most theoretical, review, opinion, or editorial papers, and <em>Bulletin<\/em> Photo Gallery submissions:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Empirical data were not used for this research.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>(Rare) For data not publicly available, but available to researchers with appropriate credentials:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Data are not publicly available due to [fill in reasons, such as sensitive species data]. Data can be obtained from [provide complete query and contact details, with license and access restrictions, if any]. Upon acceptance, anonymized data will be archived in <em>[Include the name of the external repository you will be using].<\/em><\/p>\n<h5><strong>(Rare) For data that are restricted by commercial, industry, patent, government policies, regulations, and\/or laws:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Data supporting this research are available from [third party source], with [restrictions, including non-disclosure agreements, licensing, other agreements], and are not accessible to the public. [Provide full query and contact process details for other researchers to gain access.]<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTE:<\/strong> If your data are in either of the \u201cRare\u201d statement categories, the Subject-matter Editor will be asked to determine if the statement provides the detail necessary to meet ESA guidelines.<\/p>\n<\/div><div id=\"panel-tab-content-0-4\" class=\"\">\n<h3>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n<p>This section is a living document, and we intend to expand the list. Additional questions can be submitted to <a href=\"mailto:esajournals@esa.org\">esajournals@esa.org<\/a><\/p>\n<h4>\u00a0<\/h4>\n<h5>Q: What are the advantages of posting my data and code on a public repository?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Advantages of using a permanent repository include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Visibility: Making your data\/code available online (and linking it to the journal publication) provides a new pathway for others to learn about your work.<\/li>\n<li>Citability: All data\/code you deposit will receive a persistent, resolvable identifier that can be used in a citation.<\/li>\n<li>Workload reduction: If you receive individual requests for data\/code, you can simply direct them to files in the archive.<\/li>\n<li>Quality control: storage of data in a permanent public repository encourages complete transparency and discourages the falsification of data and other fraudulent publication practices in ESA journals.<\/li>\n<li>Preservation: Your data\/code files will be permanently and safely archived in perpetuity.<\/li>\n<li>Impact: You will garner citations for both the research paper and data\/code product through the reuse of your data\/code.<\/li>\n<li>Potential for greater collaboration: Other scientists searching for data to perform meta-analyses or develop new hypotheses may involve you as a collaborator and author.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5>Q: Do I need to archive my data prior to manuscript submission?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Only for \u201cData Papers\u201d and \u201cStatistical Reports\u201d\/\u201dStatistical Innovations\u201d in <em>Ecology<\/em>\u00a0and \u201cMethod\u201d papers in <em>Ecological Applications<\/em>. For other manuscript types and journals, it is not required at submission but is strongly encouraged. If you are depositing data in a repository at the manuscript submission stage, we suggest keeping it \u201cprivate for peer review\u201d and this data deposit should not specify the journal since the paper is not formally accepted. Except for \u201cData Papers\u201d and \u201cStatistical Reports\u201d\/\u201dStatistical Innovations\u201d in <em>Ecology <\/em>and \u201cMethod\u201d papers in <em>Ecological Applications<\/em>, at the submission stage we only require confirmation of understanding of the data archiving policy and mention of a possible future repository for verification purposes. Note: The section name for \u201cStatistical Reports\u201d in <em>Ecology <\/em>is changing to \u201cStatistical Innovations\u201d in early 2025.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: Do I need to provide my novel code at the time of manuscript submission?<\/h5>\n<p>A:<span class=\"TextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">\u00a0Yes, novel code is required\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">in order to<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">\u00a0be evaluated<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">. Just like the main manuscript and other files, this material\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">is provided to reviewers as part of the reviewing package. Novel code\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">must be made accessible <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">via an external archive during all stages of the review process<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">A repository with a private-for-peer-review option is recommended (such as Dryad or <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW234115506 BCX0\">Figshare<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW234115506 BCX0\">), but a public repository such as GitHub is acceptable during peer review.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h5>Q: How should I prepare my code?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Best practices guidelines advise authors to use a scriptable statistical environment, generating statistical code that is sufficiently complete to allow replication of tables, graphs, and statistical analyses reported in the original publication and perform new or meta-analyses. Every number, every <em>P <\/em>value, and every graph requires formal archiving of the original script that generated it. In cases in which published results are challenged or questioned, these scripts will be used to reconstruct the published analyses, which is the critical first step towards resolving the dispute.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What are the requirements for sharing novel code (required) and data (not required) during the review process?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Authors are not required to provide data as during the review process at initial submission but it is strongly encouraged. Novel code, however, must be provided during the review process.<\/p>\n<p>If an author provides material during the review process, the repository must guarantee reviewer anonymity. A repository cannot require a reviewer to log in to access the material. Personal author pages on institutional websites (such as a lab or project page) also do not suffice, nor do generic cloud-storage services (such as Google Drive, Box, Sharepoint, Nimbus, or Dropbox), even if these services are licensed through a university or institution.<\/p>\n<p>The best practice is to use a repository that provides a direct link to the \u201cprivate-for-peer-review\u201d material with no log-in required, such as Figshare or Dryad. A public-facing repository such as GitHub will also be acceptable.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What do you mean by \u201cprivate-for-peer-review\u201d?<\/h5>\n<p>A: \u201cPrivate-for-peer-review\u201d refers to the process of storing material temporarily as private during the review process, with access provided by a direct anonymous link to the material. For material that is provided during the review, private-for-peer review options are recommended (such as Dryad or Figshare), but a public repository where material can be viewed anonymously, but it is not stored privately (such as GitHub) is acceptable. We do not allow generic cloud-storage services for private-for-peer-review or for final archival of material, even if these services are licensed through a university or institution.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What are the requirements for \u201cprivate-for-peer-review\u201d storage?<\/h5>\n<p>A: <span data-contrast=\"auto\">Authors are not required to provide data as \u201cprivate-for-peer-review\u201d at initial submission but it is strongly encouraged. Novel code, however, must be provided as private-for-peer review.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If an author provides material as \u201cprivate-for-peer-review\u201d, the repository must guarantee reviewer anonymity. A repository cannot require a reviewer to log in to access the material as \u201cprivate-for-peer review\u201d. Personal author pages on institutional websites (such as a lab or project page) also do not suffice, nor do generic cloud-storage services (such as Google Drive, Box, Sharepoint, Nimbus, or Dropbox), even if these services are licensed through a university or institution.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The best practice is to use a repository that provides a direct link to the \u201cprivate-for-peer-review\u201d material with no log-in required, such as Figshare or Dryad. A public-facing repository such as GitHub\u00a0\u00a0be acceptable.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n<h5>Q: What happens if I have archived my data and my paper is not accepted by the journal?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Your data on the repository remains there and can be linked to a new submission at a different journal. Your data deposited on a repository should not specify a related journal publication until the paper is formally accepted.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: Can I provide my data or code after my accepted manuscript is released online?<\/h5>\n<p>A: No, data and code links must be verified and included in the final file sent to the publisher. Authors will need to archive data\/code as part of the final submission process. Manuscript files will not be sent to the publisher for typesetting until this requirement is met.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: Can I embargo the data or code associated with my accepted manuscript in order to release the data or code at a later time?<\/h5>\n<p>A: No, we do not permit any kind of data or code embargo following manuscript acceptance. Related data and code must be publicly available before the final manuscript is sent to the publisher for typesetting. The desire of authors to control additional research with these data and\/or code shall not be grounds for withholding material.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What should I name my data or code package in the external repository?<\/h5>\n<p>A: To avoid confusion and possible errors, data and code packages should not be named the exact same name as your manuscript title. Use a descriptive name for data and code packages which meets the guidelines of the repository. A suggested format is \u201cData from: [manuscript title]\u201d or \u201cCode for: [manuscript title]\u201d. Do include a reference to your related ESA journal publication in data and code deposits.<\/p>\n<p>Individual files in your data or code deposit should be given unique and descriptive file names that can be referred to when necessary (for example: \u201cUngulate_geospatial_data.xlsx\u201d). Please do not use the format \u201cData S#\u201d, \u201cAppendix S#\u201d, \u201cTable S#\u201d, or any similar \u201cItem S#\u201d name for the material being placed on a data or code repository, as this naming convention is used by the publisher for supporting information hosted on the journal platform and can result in confusion during file processing and for readers at all stages.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What repository should I use if I have a very large dataset?<\/h5>\n<p>A: In previous cases, authors with very large datasets in the 100s of GB range have successfully used Figshare or Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity to meet the requirements of our Open Research policy.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: I performed a literature review for my paper and didn\u2019t generate or use any field data directly. Do I have to provide anything for the Open Research Policy?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Our Open Research Policy requires that any underlying data used to prepare a manuscript (including any data used to put together figures or tables) must be archived in an external repository should the manuscript be accepted for publication. Archived data should be sufficiently complete so that subsequent users can repeat tables, graphs, and statistical analyses reported in the original publication, and derive summary statistics for new or meta- analyses. For a review, this includes<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A complete list of the literature used for the review, including any DOIs or unique identifiers. This should be provided in a spreadsheet deposited in an external repository following the instructions of the Open Research Policy.<\/li>\n<li>Any query details that were used to generate the list of literature used for the review. This should be provided in a clearly labeled section in an appendix in the submission.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5>Q: How do I know if my table is allowed in an appendix as supporting information?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Appendix tables cannot be provided as supporting information in any spreadsheet file format. If your table requires a spreadsheet format, it must be provided in a data repository under the Open Research policy. Appendix tables published as supporting information are published in PDF format only and should be presented in the clearest and most readable format possible, with font sizing at 8-pt or larger. Appendix tables can be no longer than five pages. If an appendix table is too lengthy, staff may require that you remove it and provide it as data under the Open Research policy for ease of reuse. Exception: \u201cData Papers\u201d in <em>Ecology<\/em> submitted through Spring 2026 should provide data in spreadsheet format; see complete guidelines for Data Papers on the <a href=\"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/ecology-data-papers\/\"><em>Ecology<\/em> Data Papers hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: Will ESA help me craft my Open Research statement?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Please make every effort to review and follow the statement examples provided in the \u201cMechanics and Examples\u201d section. Two Data Editors are available to guide authors and ensure compliance with ESA\u2019s Open Research Policy. If you have any questions about data and code archiving policies while preparing your submission please send an email to <a href=\"mailto:esajournals@esa.org\">esajournals@esa.org<\/a> and the journal\u2019s editorial staff or a Data Editor will respond. After you have submitted your manuscript, your Open Research statement will be checked by the journal\u2019s editorial staff and they may request clarifications from authors or additional review by Data Editors if necessary.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h5>Q: The repository requires the journal publication DOI before releasing the data. How can I obtain the DOI for my ESA journal paper to link to it?<\/h5>\n<p>A: The publisher will assign the DOI shortly after their receipt of the files, and most data repositories can amend the data release to include this detail when requested to do so. Contact <a href=\"mailto:esajournals@esa.org\">the journal\u2019s editorial staff<\/a> if your paper is accepted and your repository is not able to accommodate this.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: ESA will link the paper to the data set, but how can I link the data set to the paper?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Please work with your repository to link the data set back to the journal release. This requires some finesse because the journal article will not yet be released.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: I would like to deposit data in Dryad. Does your journal provide manuscript information to them?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Yes!\u00a0Please let us know you will be using Dryad when uploading your manuscript submission, and we can simplify your data submission process with Dryad. Detailed Dryad submission instructions will be provided at manuscript acceptance. Additionally, <span style=\"color: initial\">ESA sponsorship includes fee coverage when authors use Dryad (up to 10 GB; materials must be curated by Dryad after January 1, 2026 to qualify for fee coverage under ESA sponsorship).<\/span><\/p>\n<h5>Q: Are there fees associated with depositing data?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Authors that publish in ESA journals can deposit their associated data and code packages in Dryad at no cost (up to 10 GB; materials must be curated by Dryad after January 1, 2026 to qualify for fee coverage under ESA sponsorship). Using Dryad will ensure compliance with ESA\u2019s open research policies, and all datasets are curated by Dryad to ensure they are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.go-fair.org\/fair-principles\/\">FAIR<\/a>). We encourage you to explore <a href=\"https:\/\/datadryad.org\/help\">Dryad\u2019s services <\/a>and consider this option for data and code archiving purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Authors using other external repositories are responsible for any fees charged by that repository.<\/p>\n<p>Repository fees typically range from $0 to $120 for most data sets, with structured, incremental fee increases for very large deposits (these are generally structured by ranges of gigabytes).<\/p>\n<p>Sites like Figshare are a no-cost option, as are many university library repositories.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: When referring to the published paper and\/or data set, should I cite the paper, the data set, or both?<\/h5>\n<p>A: Both items are considered research output, and both should be cited as appropriate.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What precautions should be taken with sensitive human subject data?<\/h5>\n<p>A: If you work with human subjects, be sure to follow all relevant guidelines for the protection of personally identifying information (PII) as specified in your Institutional Review Board (IRB) application and approval. Data need to be sufficiently anonymous so that identity cannot be surmised from the data set.<\/p>\n<h5>Q: What additional resources are available?<\/h5>\n<p>A: We encourage authors to explore the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.go-fair.org\/fair-principles\/\">FAIR principles<\/a> and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/eap.1822\">Powers and Hampton (2019)<\/a> in <em>Ecological Applications<\/em> (Open Access: <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/eap.1822\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/eap.1822<\/a>). Authors, editors, reviewers, and readers are encouraged to reach out to <a href=\"mailto:esajournals@esa.org\">the journal\u2019s editorial staff<\/a> with any questions for manuscript preparation or regarding previously published materials.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Open Research Policy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":9,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"layouts\/page-full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-39890","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39890"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39890\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45568,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39890\/revisions\/45568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}