A study of compliance with data-sharing requests by Social Science researchers

BACKGROUND: This paper examines responses to data-sharing requests from authors in the Social Sciences. Compliance with requests for data-sharing in Medical Sciences has been reported to be low. The study extends the scholarship by assessing compliance with similar requests in the Social Sciences. METHODS: Four hundred empirical study authors from 400 Q1 Scopus-indexed Journals across eight prominent fields of the Social Sciences were requested to share the research data. Only those authors were contacted who had stated that data would be made available on request, or those who had not explicitly denied data-sharing. RESULTS: Sixty-seven authors responded, of whom 15 (4%) provided data, while 52 declined to share data on grounds such as privacy concerns. The response rate of 4% was far lower than the average of 12% reported in Medical Sciences. CONCLUSIONS: While policy encourages data-sharing, practice has yet to catch up. Existing literature indicates various reasons for not sharing research data. These include unavailability, privacy concerns, ethical concerns, lack of publisher compulsion, and others. It is important to address the issue of authors not responding to requests despite a promise. Policymakers also need to examine this issue to identify ways to improve data-sharing and promote open science.

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Publication Details

Journal
Accountability in Research
Published
2026-09-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2026.2723276
Primary Topic
Research Data Management Practices
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

A study of compliance with data-sharing requests by Social Science researchers

Malkar Vinod Ramchandra, Rahul Dhaigude, Rupali Khaire, Rajesh Gade et al.
Accountability in Research
Research Data Management Practices
article

A study of compliance with data-sharing requests by Social Science researchers

Malkar Vinod Ramchandra, Rahul Dhaigude, Rupali Khaire, Rajesh Gade, Atul Kumar, Srinivasa Rao Kasisomayajula, Manesh R. Palav, Shirish Raibagkar, Amandeep Saini, Vishwas Pendse, Atul Bansilal Patil, Ashok Ghuge, Deepti Bhutada, Abhay Bora, Satish Warpade
article en

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This paper examines responses to data-sharing requests from authors in the Social Sciences. Compliance with requests for data-sharing in Medical Sciences has been reported to be low. The study extends the scholarship by assessing compliance with similar requests in the Social Sciences. METHODS: Four hundred empirical study authors from 400 Q1 Scopus-indexed Journals across eight prominent fields of the Social Sciences were requested to share the research data. Only those authors were contacted who had stated that data would be made available on request, or those who had not explicitly denied data-sharing. RESULTS: Sixty-seven authors responded, of whom 15 (4%) provided data, while 52 declined to share data on grounds such as privacy concerns. The response rate of 4% was far lower than the average of 12% reported in Medical Sciences. CONCLUSIONS: While policy encourages data-sharing, practice has yet to catch up. Existing literature indicates various reasons for not sharing research data. These include unavailability, privacy concerns, ethical concerns, lack of publisher compulsion, and others. It is important to address the issue of authors not responding to requests despite a promise. Policymakers also need to examine this issue to identify ways to improve data-sharing and promote open science.

Accountability in Research
Symbiosis International University (IN), Sandip Foundation (IN), Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune (IN), Theranostics (New Zealand) (NZ), Design Science (United Kingdom) (GB), Sanjivani Super Speciality Hospitals (IN), Britannia Panopticon (GB), Lotus Clinical Research (US), Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (IN), Universidad de Diseño, Innovación y Tecnología (ES), Sandip Institute of Technology & Research Centre (IN), Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (IN), Savitribai Phule Pune University (IN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Research Data Management Practices
DOISourceOpenAlex
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