Data - Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any fees for depositing my data into UNC Dataverse?

UNC faculty, students, and staff are able to self-archive within UNC Dataverse at no additional cost. If you require additional support in archiving your research data, the Research Data Management Core is available for consultation to provide options for data management and sharing workflows.

Submit a Help Ticket to request a free consultation.

What kind of data can I deposit?

UNC Dataverse accepts all types of data; however, it offers optimized preservation for certain file types such as Stata, R, SPSS, and some Excel file types. Dataverse processes these optimized preservation file types during ingest and creates a software agnostic tab-delimited version as well as an RData version of the file for long-term access and preservation. Optimized preservation also permits users the ability to explore these file types within the UNC Dataverse interface.

All other file types are preserved at the bit-level only.

While UNC Dataverse can preserve all file types at the bit-level, it may not be the best data repository option for certain data types. If you are uncertain if UNC Dataverse is the best data repository for your research data, please Submit a Help Ticket to request a free consultation.

What are the recommended data file types I should provide?

The file formats used by researchers are often informed by individual research practices and domain-specific standards. However, to avoid risks to long-term data preservation, access, and use that can arise from software obsolescence, the Research Data Management Core recommends that data files be submitted in formats that are widely adopted, non-proprietary, free of external software dependencies, and well-documented.

The following file formats are supported with optimized preservation:

When using the above file formats, UNC Dataverse will generate a software agnostic, tab-delimited (TSV) version of your data files for optimal preservation. Dataverse also creates an Rdata version of your data to permit users the option to download the file in an open source format.

The following file formats for document files such as README files, codebooks/data dictionaries, instruments, and methodology reports are recommended:

Are there file size limits?

UNC Dataverse accepts self-deposit uploads of 2 GB per file. For individual files over 2GB in size, please Submit a Help Ticket for assistance or alternative storage solutions.

If your total project size is over 2TB, please Submit a Help Ticket to request a quote for additional storage or to learn about alternative storage solutions.

How many files can I upload into UNC Dataverse?

Currently there is no limit for how many files you may upload into UNC Dataverse; however, if your total project is more than 2TB, please Submit a Help Ticket to request a quote for additional storage or to learn about alternative storage solutions.

Can I share sensitive data within the UNC Dataverse?

UNC Dataverse cannot store or share sensitive data containing identifiable information such as protected health information (PHI) or personal identifiable information (PII). We recommend using the Safe Harbor or other approved methods for de-identifying data before depositing into UNC Dataverse. If your data cannot be de-identified, please Submit a Help Ticket to request a consultation to help identify alternative solutions to sharing and preserving sensitive data.

Can I control access to my data?

Yes. UNC Dataverse offers access controls to Admin and Curator roles of your dataset(s). Individual files can be restricted, and access requests can be enabled to permit UNC Dataverse account holders the ability to request access to each file through UNC Dataverse. To learn more about access restrictions, please see the Access Controls for Data section of the Getting Started guide.

How long are files stored in UNC Dataverse?

Files are stored in perpetuity. UNC Dataverse is a member of Data-PASS, a community dedicated to the preservation of research data. As such, we have implemented a Digital Preservation Policy which defines our succession plan for continued access to our holdings.

Can I remove my datasets from UNC Dataverse?

UNC Dataverse is an open data repository for sharing and preserving research data. All published data are given a persistent unique identifier (DOI), which directs users to the permanent published dataset record. In most instances, we would not recommend removing data from UNC Dataverse; however, if data are discovered to be too sensitive or in violation of copyright or terms of use, RDMC staff will remove the data from UNC Dataverse.

If you have questions about removing your data from UNC Dataverse, please Submit a Help Ticket.

I have questions about the contents of a dataset or dataverse within UNC Dataverse. Who should I contact?

For questions about a specific project dataverse, please use the ‘Contact’ button on the far right of the project dataverse.

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For questions about a specific dataset, please use the ‘Contact Owner’ button in the dataset record. This will send a message directly to the dataset owner(s).

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