Experimental Research Publication

Essential questions 

What is the value of publishing the raw experimental data?

How to evaluate the quality of presentation and publication venue?

Raw data publication and accessibility is the most recent trend in scientific research and publishing. Most top science journals (Nature, Science, etc.) require authors to make the raw data that were used in preparation of their manuscripts available to the peer reviewers during the submission and review process, and to every reader after the publication. Moreover, the readers are encouraged to report every case when their request for access to the raw data was denied by the authors. There are two avenues for making raw data publicly available: scientific data repositories, and supplemental files in online journal publications.  

Raw data present not only the basis for the analysis of validity of arguments and interpretations that were offered by the study authors, but also a fruitful resource of secondary data that can be analyzed for the purposes different from the original experimental research question(s). The impetus to make the raw data available to the broader scientific community is gaining momentum [1, 2]. New journals appear that focus primarily on publication of large raw data sets [3, 4] so that shared information can be broadly used by the scientific community.

Availability of raw data also presents a unique opportunity for an independent data validation that is important proof of quality of research outcomes. Data that are used in scientific publication can be raw data or processed data. Processed data are often statistically analyzed so that the significance of experimental outcomes and correlational relationships can be evaluated. The majority of scientific journals are publishing research articles that are based on processed data but many require the authors to present raw data either as a supplemental material or as a repository submission. Increasing number of scientists support the idea that peer review process should also involve the raw data prior to publication.

While the data analysis is completed and the researcher is seeking the venue for a journal publication, the following considerations should be made:

• Is the journal indexed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, or other trusted publication indexes in the specific science field? 
• Is the journal or publisher a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)?
• Does the journal have an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)?
• Does the journal have an ISI impact factor ranking?
• What is the composition of editorial board and staff? Is it comprised of well- known researchers?
• Does the journal publish high quality, high impact research papers?
• Is the aim and scope of the journal within the field of intended research publication?
• What is the copyright policy of the journal? Does it allow author to retain certain uses for his/her work?

The quality of conference as presentation venue is more difficult to evaluate as to a great extent it depends on it level (local, national, or international), number of participants, attendance by the top researchers in the field, and the perceived prestige. Professional societies are usually good initial source of information about the reputable conferences in corresponding fields. 

Conference publications are peer reviewed in all reputable scientific conferences. They can be used as a valuable venue for publication and dissemination of experimental outcomes to the target scientific audience.

Suggested readings

 Helliwell, J. R., McMahon, B., Guss, J. M., Kroon-Batenburg, L. (2017). The science is in the data. IUCrJ, 4(Pt 6), 714–722. doi:10.1107/S2052252517013690

Kratz, J. E., Strasser, C. (2015). Researcher perspectives on publication and peer review of data. PloS one, 10(2), e0117619. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117619

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/genomics-data/

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/data-in-brief/