Skip to content
WashU Medicine
We're OpenToday's Hours: 7:30 am - 10:30 pm
Bernard Becker Medical Library
Ask Us
  • We're OpenToday's Hours: 7:30 am - 10:30 pm
  • About
    • About the Library
    • Borrowing and Accounts
    • Connecting from Off-Campus
    • Computers and Software
    • Hours and Access
    • Make a Payment
    • Maps and Directions
    • Print and Copy
    • Requesting Materials (ILLiad System)
    • Staff Directory
  • Resources
    • Archives and Rare Books
      • About Becker Archives and Rare Books
      • Archival Collections
      • Exhibits and Presentations
      • Policies and Requesting Materials
      • Rare Books
    • Center for Health and Science Communication
    • The Center for the History of Medicine at Becker Medical Library
    • Databases
    • Digital Commons@Becker
    • E-Books
    • E-Journals
    • Feuerstein Health & Wellness Information Center
    • Library Catalog
    • Research Profiles Support
    • Software
    • Subject Guides
  • Services
    • Author Analytics and Support
    • Data Management and Sharing
    • Grant Application and Compliance
    • Health Literacy and Communication
    • Library Classes
    • Research Computing
    • Resource Management
    • Search and Reference
    • Systematic and Scoping Review Service
      • Systematic Review and Scoping Review Tutorials
  • News
    • Newsletter Signup
  • Events
  • Ask Us

FAIR data principles: The keys to data sharing – part 2 of 4: Accessible

By Seonyoung Kim — November 1, 2022

This is part 2 of a four-part blog series on FAIR data principles (part 1: Findable, part2: Accessible, part3: Interoperable, part4: Reusable). We reviewed making data findable using metadata in part 1, so now we will discuss how to make data accessible.

GO-FAIR_Logo

Part 2: Accessible

There are three principles:

  1. Data should be retrievable by their identifier using a standardized communication protocol that is open, free, and universally available.

    To maximize data reuse, the protocol should be free and open-sourced. Most internet users retrieve data by clicking on a link, where the computer loads data in the user’s web browser. FAIR data retrieval should not require specialized or proprietary tools or communication methods. The commonly used protocols are HTTP, FTP, and SMTP. This facilitates global data retrieval by anyone with a computer and an internet connection. Non-compliant examples are Skype and the Microsoft Exchange Server protocol, which are proprietary and therefore not universally implementable. For highly sensitive data, it is perfectly FAIR to use a contact protocol, which provides an email and telephone number of a contact person who can provide access to the data. Contact protocols should be clearly captured in the metadata.
  1. The communication protocol allows for an authentication and authorization procedure where necessary.

    The “A” in FAIR implies that one should provide the exact conditions under which the data are accessible so that even protected and private data can be FAIR. Therefore, accessibility means that computer software must be able to understand the access requirements and either execute the requirements or alert the user. For restricted access data, a repository will request users to create a user account to authenticate the user and enforce the specific data use agreement set by the dataset owner.
  1. Metadata should be accessible even when the data is no longer available.

    Maintaining data online has associated costs, and over time, old datasets can degrade or disappear (invalid links). However, storing the metadata is generally easier and cheaper and should persist even after the data are no longer maintained, allowing authors, institutions or publications associated with the original research to be contacted and followed up with.

Selecting a suitable data repository with the desirable characteristics recommended by NIH is important and will address accessibility correctly. For example, Digital Commons@Becker meets these recommended criteria and is available at no charge to all researchers at WashU School of Medicine.

For more details about the FAIRification process for Accessibility (A1-A4), please visit the Go FAIR website. Stay tuned for Part 3 of this blog series, where I will review the Interoperability aspect of FAIR Data Principles.

Resources

  • FAIR data principles: The keys to data sharing – part 1 of 4: Findable
  • Go FAIR: FAIR data principles
  • The NIH strategic plan for data science
  • DataCite metadata standard

Readings

  • Wilkinson, M., Dumontier, M., Aalbersberg, I. et al.The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship. Sci Data 3, 160018 (2016). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Posted in Mastering Information, Science and Informatics
Tagged Accessible, Data Repositories, Digital Commons, DMS, FAIR Data, FAIR Data Principles, Metadata, NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy, Open Science

Post navigation

Previous: Resource spotlight: ‘Natural Medicines’
Next: Book MDClone and REDCap virtual office hours consultations in advance using our new scheduling pages
Blog Categories
  • All Posts
  • Announcements
  • Archives and Rare Books
  • Health and Science Communication
  • Mastering Information
  • Scholarly Publishing
  • Science and Informatics
  • Staff News
  • Uncategorized
  • Email Updates

    Prefer updates in your inbox?

    Sign up for our email list

    Bernard Becker Medical Library
    MSC 8132-13-01
    660 South Euclid Avenue
    St. Louis, MO 63110-1010
    (314) 362-7080 | askbecker@wustl.edu
    • Resources
    • Services
    • Archives & Rare Books
    • About the Library
    Becker Library Facebook
    Becker Library Twitter
    Becker Library Instagram
    YouTube
    Becker Library Feed
    Becker Library Newsletter
    © 2025 Washington University in St. Louis
     

    Loading Comments...