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Contents

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  1. 1. De-identification
  2. 2. Licence
  3. 3. Repository
  4. 4. Metadata, and the statement that ties them together

Academy · Concepts & Definitions · Before you publish data

Before You Publish Data: De-Identification, Licence, Repository, Metadata — and the Statement That Points at All Four

A data availability statement is only as good as the four things it's pointing at. Check those four first, then write the statement — not the other way around.

Pubrica AcademyWritten by a research data specialist Reviewed bya research integrity consultant Published10 October 2026 Last checked10 October 2026 Reading time6 minutes Sources1 peer-reviewed

Before publishing a research dataset, four specific things need to be settled — that the data are properly de-identified, that a clear reuse licence is attached, that a named, appropriate repository has been chosen, and that the dataset carries complete descriptive metadata — because the data availability statement in the manuscript is only as useful as these four things actually are.

What you will learn

  • What de-identification needs to cover before data can be responsibly shared.
  • Why a licence needs to be explicitly attached, not assumed.
  • How FAIR's metadata expectations apply concretely to a dataset being deposited.

What to unlearn

  • “Removing names and ID numbers is sufficient de-identification.” Genuine de-identification, especially for health data, needs to consider indirect identifiers (rare combinations of demographic or clinical details that could identify someone even without a name) and should follow the relevant ethical and regulatory guidance for the specific data type, not just a names-and-IDs pass.
  • “A dataset is 'open' as long as it's technically downloadable.” Without an explicitly attached reuse licence, a downloadable dataset's legal reuse terms are ambiguous, which many funders and the FAIR principles' 'Reusable' criterion specifically expect to be resolved through a stated licence.

1. De-identification

Confirm the dataset has been reviewed for both direct identifiers (names, exact dates, ID numbers) and indirect identifiers (rare combinations of age, location, or clinical characteristics that could re-identify a person in combination), consistent with the ethical approval and data-sharing terms under which the data were originally collected.

2. Licence

Attach an explicit, named reuse licence (such as a Creative Commons licence, where appropriate for the data type) before deposit, since a dataset without a stated licence leaves its legal reuse terms ambiguous for anyone who later wants to use it — directly undermining the "Reusable" component of the FAIR principles1.

3. Repository

Choose a named, appropriate repository for the specific data type (a field-specific repository where one exists, or a generalist repository otherwise) rather than only a supplementary file attached to the manuscript, since a dedicated repository typically provides the persistent identifier and discoverability that a supplementary file does not.

4. Metadata, and the statement that ties them together

Ensure the deposited dataset carries rich, standard-compliant metadata (variable definitions, collection methods, and relevant context) consistent with FAIR's "Findable" and "Interoperable" components, and then write the manuscript's data availability statement to name the specific repository, licence, and persistent identifier — the statement's only job, once the first three items are actually settled, is to point at them clearly.

Take-home message

Take-home message

A data availability statement is only as useful as the de-identification, licence, repository, and metadata it points to — settle all four first, then write a statement that names them specifically, rather than writing a generic statement before these are actually in place.

How to apply this to your work

How to apply this to your own work

  1. Review for indirect identifiers, not just names and ID numbers. Especially for health or other sensitive data, following the relevant ethical guidance for that data type.
  2. Attach an explicit licence before deposit. Don't leave reuse terms to be inferred from a repository's general default.
  3. Choose a repository appropriate to the specific data type. A field-specific repository over a generic supplementary file, where one exists.
  4. Write the availability statement last, naming the specific repository, licence, and identifier. Once all four items are genuinely settled, not before.

Common questions

Not necessarily — some data, even de-identified, may still require restricted access per the original ethical approval or participant consent; check this before assuming open sharing is appropriate.

Many major repositories do, commonly a DOI, but this should be confirmed for the specific repository chosen.

A reputable generalist repository (several widely used ones accept data across fields) is a reasonable alternative.

References and sources

  1. Wilkinson MD, Dumontier M, Aalbersberg IJ, et al. The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship. Scientific Data. 2016;3:160018. read 10 October 2026. View on Nature Scientific Data

Every source above is a peer-reviewed article, a publisher’s record of one, or a standard issued by the body that owns it. Each carries the date it was last read. Where a standard moves, this article is revised rather than left up with a note.

How to cite this article

Pick your referencing style and copy it. Your university or target journal may vary the punctuation — check its guide if it has one.

Pubrica Academy. (2026, October 10). Before You Publish Data: De-Identification, Licence, Repository, Metadata — and the Statement That Points at All Four. Pubrica. https://pubrica.com/insights/checklist/before-you-publish-data-checklist/

This article is written to be learned from. Cite it if you are referring to what it says; if you are using the evidence behind it, cite the sources listed above instead.

Pre-deposit check

Confirm all four before deposit, then write the statement.

[ ] De-identification reviewed for direct and indirect identifiers
[ ] Explicit reuse licence attached
[ ] Named, appropriate repository chosen for the data type
[ ] Rich, standard-compliant metadata included
[ ] Data availability statement written last, naming the specific repository, licence, and identifier

Pubrica AcademyWritten and maintained by the subject matter experts of Pubrica who do this work. Articles are revised when the standard underneath them moves, and each one carries the date it was last checked.

How Pubrica helps

We help research teams check de-identification, attach a licence, choose an appropriate repository, and write a data availability statement that names all three specifically.

Submit an enquiry Get help preparing your dataset for publication

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