Publishing data

publishing
4tu.researchdata
zenodo
Last reviewed

May 5, 2025

Last modified

May 13, 2025

Data repositories are online locations for storing research data long term. When data is published in a repository, it is (often) assigned a persistent digital object identifier (DOI), which ensures that the data is discoverable and accessible over time. When published, the data should be accompanied by an appropriate license and metadata describing your data.

Important
  • Check the Write & Publish section from the TU Delft Navigating Research Data and Software: A Practical Guide for PhD Supervisors guide for more information on publishing your data. It also includes a list of requirements for publishing data.
  • If you would like to publish your data collection in 4TU.ResearchData or in another data repository, it is advisable that you discuss the publishing process, including the reuse and citation of the original datasets and appropriate licensing options with your faculty data steward.

4TU.ResearchData

Choosing a repository for publishing your data depends on factors such as storage costs, funding or publication requirements, and security needs. TU Delft provides an in-house data repository, 4TU.ResearchData, supporting versioning and a GitHub remote as part of their services. Additionally, when publishing your data, your submission is reviewed to ensure that repository requirements are met. You will receive a DOI for your dataset, which can be used to cite your data in publications. All data is stored in the Netherlands, with two locations in Delft and a backup in Leiden.

Zenodo

Developed by CERN, Zenodo is an open repository that allows researchers to upload and share their research outputs, including datasets, publications, and software. Similarly to 4TU.ResearchData you will receive a DOI for your dataset. Zenodo supports versioning and has GitHub integration.

Selecting a data repository. The Turing Way Community. This illustration is created by Scriberia with The Turing Way community, used under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3332807

Regardless of the repository you choose, it is important to ensure that your data is properly documented. This includes describing the content, structure, and context of your data, as well as any relevant documentation that is needed to understand and use the data.

Learn more

For a more comprehensive list of repositories and how to select one, you can check the Turing Way book or the TU Delft Library Guidelines