New: IOP Publishing enhances research data access
To boost open science and research impact, IOP Publishing (IOPP) is now assigning Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to all supplementary data files.
This initiative is designed to make supplementary materials more findable, accessible, interoperable, and reproducible (FAIR), so authors can receive greater recognition for their contributions beyond the primary research article.
A 2020 study demonstrated that articles with linked data receive a citation advantage, showing the value of this initiative. Supplementary files are often not easily discoverable or citable, which limits their impact.
What are the benefits for authors and researchers?
Increased recognition and credit: Supplementary files will become formally citable, allowing authors to gain recognition for a broader range of research outputs.
Enhanced discoverability: Data will be prominently linked on article pages, have its own dedicated ‘article’ pages on IOPscience, and be easily found through search engines.
Support for funder open science policies: Authors will be better supported to meet some funders’ requirements to publicly share data associated with publicly funded research.
IOPP’s decision to assign DOIs to supplementary research data was taken in response to feedback from the research community. A survey of researchers publishing with IOPP found that they see improving links between articles and relevant data as one of their highest priorities for publishers. Researchers also expressed their support for assigning persistent identifiers to supplementary data after it was trialled on selected journals.
Daniel Keirs, Head of Journal Strategy and Performance at IOP Publishing said: “Assigning DOIs to supplementary data is another step for IOPP toward making research more transparent and interconnected. It will help authors get the credit they deserve for more aspects of their work while making it easier for them to find and access relevant data. This initiative advances our journey toward a more FAIR research ecosystem and strengthens our commitment to open science, aligning with the global shift toward open data and scientific reproducibility.”
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