For information on NTL's repository ROSA P and how to utilize it visit the ROSA P LibGuide.
All submissions are required to be 508 Compliant. For more information on meeting this requirement and NTL's Accessibility policy, refer to the corresponding Accessibility LibGuide.
| Common Problem | Solution |
| My data set has Personally Identifiable Information (PII). How do I publish my data? | While the raw data that has been created cannot be published due to PII risk, anonymized data can be published in its place. ROSA P only accepts anonymized datasets for publication. Learn about how to protect the privacy of human research participants when sharing data with resources provided by the National Institute of Health. |
| I purchased my dataset/reused an existing free dataset. What do I submit to ROSA P? | While you cannot submit a dataset you did not create, you must submit any analysis, calculations, and derivative products from this dataset. For example, if you use a open access dataset for your project, you must include analysis and charts made, visualizations made in statistical software, any code used to analyze or manipulate the data, and any new products or findings. Additionally, the name of the dataset, the variables you used, changes you made to the dataset, and any other information must be included in the data package submission in the README. |
| We would like to control access by having a submission form so that the public and researchers can request to see our data. Is this allowed under the Public Access Plan? | No. No restriction or pay-wall of any kind is allowed for U.S. DOT funded data. To be compliant with the public access plan, all data must be open and unrestricted to the public. This means that all research products must be accessible on a reputable repository. To view a list of DOT Approved repositories, please navigate to "Step 2: Choose a Repository." |
| My data is currently stored at my university on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) server. This is accessible to researchers at my university. Does this fulfil Public Access Requirements? | No. While private or university servers are acceptable storage during the project's duration, the closed servers are not acceptable for long term preservation and archiving. |
| I'm not sure what metadata schema to use for my dataset. Is metadata required for submission? | Yes, DCAT-US metadata, formerly Project Open Metadata, is required for all DOT funded datasets. You must create a DCAT-US metadata file and include it with your submission. For more information on DCAT-US metadata and to access NTL's Template, please visit our Data Packages Libguide. |
| My data was created and stored in Microsoft Excel's XLSX format. Is this acceptable for submission? |
No. According to the Public Access Plan Section 7.6.1: Publications, "The DOT will ensure the permanent preservation and long term accessibility of Publications resulting from DOT-funded research and programs by: Adopting sound, non-proprietary preservation standards and archival formats for Publications and associated content." While proprietary formats may be included as a part of your larger data package, open access formats must be included as well. For XLSX files, could be a .CSV file. |
When choosing a repository, it is important to consider the following elements:
These important considerations ensure your research will be preserved, traceable, and findable to your peers, your supervisors, your broader field, and the public.
Last Updated January 17, 2025
**Preferred by the Data Services Team
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CoreTrustSeal offers to any interested data repository a core level certification based on the DSA–WDS Core Trustworthy Data Repositories Requirements catalogue and procedures. This universal catalogue of requirements reflects the core characteristics of trustworthy data repositories. To find out more about CoreTrustSeal and their requirements, please visit their website. At the CoreTrustSeal site a user can search the list of repositories and view the list of repositories that have achieved the CoreTrustSeal Data Repository certification. |
While the hardest stages of a research project may be over, the creation of a submission package for a repository is one of the most important steps in publishing research. This step is crucial as it determines how your colleagues and the public will interact with and understand your research. Creating robust documentation, organizing your data into understandable folders and hierarchies, using clear naming techniques, and preserving your dataset and research products in open formats are all important steps to making your research more FAIR.
| Text | Dataset | Images | Multimedia | Maps | Metadata | Collections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TXT | CSV | TIFF | WARC | TIFF | JSON | ZIP |
| TSV | PNG | WMV | PNG | XML | ||
| XML | TAV | JPG | SWF | Shapefiles | ||
| WARC | WMA | ArcGIS Project Files | ||||
| RTF | MPEG | |||||
| MD |
When creating a submission package to send to your chosen repository, it is important to create documentation. This documentation makes your research easier to understand and reuse. Documentation can take many forms depending on the type of project and data you created. The following are types of documentation you might create for your project:
*Required for all submissions
When creating this documentation, it is important to make your dataset as accessible to the user as possible. Include authorship information, software requirements, a well-organized file structure, clear file naming, and descriptions of each file in the package. For more information on creating a robust data package, please visit our Data Packages LibGuide.
There are instances where the researcher or university uses a repository for their long-term data storage that is not ROSA P. In these instances, the depositor will submit the research to a DOT Approved Repository, or one that is conformant with the USDOT's Public Access Plan. Each of these repositories have different instructions for how to submit. However, by creating good file structure, clear names, robust documentation, required metadata, and by using open formats, most data submission packages should need minimal fixes for each repository.
Despite using an external repository, U.S. DOT and our partners need to be informed of the publication of any and all resources that were funded by U.S. DOT and its programs. When submitting an item that is housed outside of ROSA P to NTL, please email the following:
In your email you must include the following:
