A Lenient Research Policy Is Hurting Data Sharing Practices in Social Science Research
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| Title: | A Lenient Research Policy Is Hurting Data Sharing Practices in Social Science Research |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Atul Kumar (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Academic Ethics. 2026 24(1). |
| Availability: | BioMed Central, Ltd. Available from: Springer Nature. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://www.springer.com/gp/biomedical-sciences |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Social Science Research, Information Dissemination, Accountability, Publishing Industry, Policy, Ethics |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10805-025-09699-9 |
| ISSN: | 1570-1727 1572-8544 |
| Abstract: | Leading agencies, such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), recommend sharing research data. Further, all major publishers also encourage researchers to practice openness and transparency by sharing the data sets. In contrast, many researchers from social science streams are reluctant to share their data sets. We employ multiple methodologies to understand the causes and repercussions of this contrast. Four case studies show no rationale for social science authors not sharing their data sets. Survey results (391 social science Scopus-Q1 authors worldwide) support the hypothesis that the non-availability of data and non-compulsion from journals/editors/reviewers are the major causes for the non-sharing of research data. Interviews with ten senior editors reveal that publishers are reluctant to impose compulsion out of the fear that there would be a reduced supply of articles if data sharing is made compulsory. The study provides reasonable evidence to conclude that those who do not share their research data are most unlikely to have it. To address this serious flaw, we recommend compulsory data sharing to discourage unauthentic research not backed up by underlying data. This paper uses sizable empirical evidence to highlight the lack of authenticity in social science research. It further recommends policy change to make data sharing compulsory to increase the authenticity of social science research. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/223081/version/V2/view |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495476 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1495476 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: A Lenient Research Policy Is Hurting Data Sharing Practices in Social Science Research – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Atul+Kumar%22">Atul Kumar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3859-0686">0000-0003-3859-0686</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amol+Gawande%22">Amol Gawande</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6430-5688">0000-0001-6430-5688</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ajit+Sane%22">Ajit Sane</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0002-1713-9159">0009-0002-1713-9159</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shailendrakumar+Kale%22">Shailendrakumar Kale</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7414-8898">0000-0002-7414-8898</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jaiprakash+Paliwal%22">Jaiprakash Paliwal</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1640-4750">0000-0002-1640-4750</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Akash+Agarwal%22">Akash Agarwal</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9857-8104">0000-0002-9857-8104</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vinaydeep+Brar%22">Vinaydeep Brar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0003-2619-7630">0009-0003-2619-7630</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nalini+Dixit%22">Nalini Dixit</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0008-7601-208X">0009-0008-7601-208X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amandeep+Saini%22">Amandeep Saini</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0005-8095-916X">0009-0005-8095-916X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shirish+Raibagkar%22">Shirish Raibagkar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8017-7740">0000-0002-8017-7740</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Academic+Ethics%22"><i>Journal of Academic Ethics</i></searchLink>. 2026 24(1). – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: BioMed Central, Ltd. Available from: Springer Nature. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://www.springer.com/gp/biomedical-sciences – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Science+Research%22">Social Science Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Dissemination%22">Information Dissemination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Accountability%22">Accountability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Publishing+Industry%22">Publishing Industry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Policy%22">Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethics%22">Ethics</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1007/s10805-025-09699-9 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1570-1727<br />1572-8544 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Leading agencies, such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), recommend sharing research data. Further, all major publishers also encourage researchers to practice openness and transparency by sharing the data sets. In contrast, many researchers from social science streams are reluctant to share their data sets. We employ multiple methodologies to understand the causes and repercussions of this contrast. Four case studies show no rationale for social science authors not sharing their data sets. Survey results (391 social science Scopus-Q1 authors worldwide) support the hypothesis that the non-availability of data and non-compulsion from journals/editors/reviewers are the major causes for the non-sharing of research data. Interviews with ten senior editors reveal that publishers are reluctant to impose compulsion out of the fear that there would be a reduced supply of articles if data sharing is made compulsory. The study provides reasonable evidence to conclude that those who do not share their research data are most unlikely to have it. To address this serious flaw, we recommend compulsory data sharing to discourage unauthentic research not backed up by underlying data. This paper uses sizable empirical evidence to highlight the lack of authenticity in social science research. It further recommends policy change to make data sharing compulsory to increase the authenticity of social science research. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: Note Label: Notes Group: Note Data: https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/223081/version/V2/view – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1495476 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10805-025-09699-9 Languages: – Text: English Subjects: – SubjectFull: Social Science Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Information Dissemination Type: general – SubjectFull: Accountability Type: general – SubjectFull: Publishing Industry Type: general – SubjectFull: Policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Ethics Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: A Lenient Research Policy Is Hurting Data Sharing Practices in Social Science Research Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Atul Kumar – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Amol Gawande – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ajit Sane – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shailendrakumar Kale – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jaiprakash Paliwal – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Akash Agarwal – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Vinaydeep Brar – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nalini Dixit – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Amandeep Saini – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shirish Raibagkar IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1570-1727 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1572-8544 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 24 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Academic Ethics Type: main |
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