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Metadata catalogues offer a range of benefits to data holders, users and the broader scientific community.
Benefits for data holders.
Increases discoverability. If you register metadata in catalogues, your data becomes more easily discoverable by others online.
Facilitates collaboration. Making your metadata available increases the likelihood of collaboration with other researchers who find your work through the catalogue.
Control over data use. Metadata catalogues allow you to specify how your data can be accessed and reused, ensuring that you retain control over its distribution.
Efficient compliance. Publishing metadata in catalogues is a low-effort, high-impact step that covers Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability aspects for your data, which are now essential for meeting the requirements of numerous grants and institutions.
Benefits for data users.
Efficient data search. Instead of searching across various platforms, metadata catalogues provide a centralised, searchable repository for relevant data.
Time-saving. Reusing already available data saves significant time that would otherwise be spent on new data collection planning and approval.
Simplified access requirements. Clear access protocols provided through metadata reduce the complexity and time involved in requesting data.
Benefits for the scientific community.
Prevention of redundancy. Metadata catalogues reduce duplication of research efforts by making existing data more visible and accessible.
Community building. Catalogues promote the adoption of shared data standards, fostering collaboration and coherence within research communities.
Improved transparency. Clear documentation of data in metadata catalogues ensures research integrity and openness, which promotes trust in scientific findings.
Monitoring research impact. Cataloguing metadata allows for easier tracking of how data is used, cited, and repurposed, providing insights into the broader impact of research efforts.
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Cross-discipline metadata catalogues (allow broad resource types):
Health-RI data catalogue (https://healthdata.nl/);
DANS (Data Stations - DANS (knaw.nl)).
Domain specific metadata catalogues (for specific types of resources):
Biosamples: . BBMRI-ERIC data catalogue (https://directory.bbmri-eric.eu/ERIC/directory/#/catalogue);
Questionnaire: the . The Qualitative Data Repository (https://qdr.syr.edu/).
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Practical examples from the community
The Netherlands ME/CFS Cohort and Biobank Consortium
The Netherlands ME/CFS Cohort and Biobank (NMCB) consortium, in partnership with patient organizationsorganisations, is leading the way for the development of a national research infrastructure for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
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