Why don't we share data and code? Perceived barriers and benefits to public archiving practices
2022/11/23 by Dylan Gomes, Dylan G. E. Gomes, Patrice Pottier +13 · 159 citations
Computer Science · Decision Sciences · Engineering · Medicine · #Business #Categorization #Code (set theory) #Computer science #Data science #Data sharing #Engineering #Ethics in Clinical Research #Incentive #Internet privacy #Knowledge management #Open data #Open science #Political science #Public relations #Research Data Management Practices #Reuse #Scientific Computing and Data Management #Value (mathematics) #World Wide Web
paper · doi:10.1098/rspb.2022.1113
published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 289(1987), 20221113 (Royal Society)
openalex publication_date 2022/11/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Abstract
The biological sciences community is increasingly recognizing the value of open, reproducible and transparent research practices for science and society at large. Despite this recognition, many researchers fail to share their data and code publicly. This pattern may arise from knowledge barriers about how to archive data and code, concerns about its reuse, and misaligned career incentives. Here, we define, categorize and discuss barriers to data and code sharing that are relevant to many research fields. We explore how real and perceived barriers might be overcome or reframed in the light of the benefits relative to costs. By elucidating these barriers and the contexts in which they arise, we can take steps to mitigate them and align our actions with the goals of open science, both as individual scientists and as a scientific community.
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