FAIR data principles: how well known or understood are they?

In October 2017, ANDS, Nectar and RDS undertook a short survey to collect views amongst the research and research infrastructure community in Australia on the FAIR data principles. The respondents were from universities, research infrastructure facilities, government agencies and publicly funded research organisations; the following is based on 249 responses. A detailed summary is available upon request by contacting communications@ands-nectar-rds.org.au.

KEY FINDINGS

– About half of the respondents were already familiar with FAIR data principles and found them easy to understand. Most of this group had already applied some or all of the principles in their work and were likely to recommend the principles to their colleagues.

– When asked how the principles had been applied, Accessible received the most mentions followed by Findable and Reusable. Interoperable trailed the list.

– The most mentioned reasons for not using the FAIR data principles were lack of awareness, FAIR not considered relevant to the respondents current role or not a priority or part of their strategies.

– The most frequently mentioned gaps that were mentioned in making data FAIR were standardised data formats, provenance tools and ethics and access advice.

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