Jörg Lehmann: Data-Handling: As FAIR as Possible
The data we have chosen to publish, in concordance with our aims, meet the FAIR data principles of being Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable (1).
We abstained from using proprietary data formats. Accompanying texts containing detailed descriptions and explanations are available in either .pdf, .txt (UTF-8-encoded) and .odt formats, the data themselves being stored tabulated in .csv (UTF-8-encoded) and .ods formats.
In more detail, meeting FAIR data principles means that the data are:
Findable:
F1. (Meta)data are assigned a globally unique and eternally persistent identifier. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
F2. Data are described with rich metadata. – We provided a detailed description of the data, how the categories that guided us during data collection were established, and exemplary analysis of the data in narrative form alongside the tables containing the data collected within our project.
F3. (Meta)data are registered or indexed in a searchable resource. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
F4. Metadata specify the data identifier. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
Accessible:
A1 (Meta)data are retrievable by their identifier using a standardized communications protocol. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
A1.1 The protocol is open, free, and universally implementable. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
A1.2 The protocol allows for an authentication and authorization procedure, where necessary. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
A2 Metadata are accessible, even when the data are no longer available. – This feature is not supported by the DARIAH-DE repository; instead, the repository secures the data as Baglt-Bag and provides backups and archiving copies.
Interoperable:
I1. (Meta)data use a formal, accessible, shared, and broadly applicable language for knowledge representation. – The column names we used are in English, detailed descriptions of what column names designates and what can be found in the data are provided in the accompanying publications.
I2. (Meta)data use vocabularies that follow FAIR principles. – We created and explicitly published a new vocabulary resource, following FAIR principles.
I3. (Meta)data include qualified references to other (meta)data. – Links to online repositories where the indexed cultural magazines can be found are provided. Since items such as personal names are accompanied by VIAF identifiers, these data can easily be enriched or aggregated with other data. Moreover, the contributor database contains, where applicable, Wikidata, GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei) and SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context) identifiers.
Re-usable:
Metadata and data are well described so that they can be replicated and/or combined in different settings.
R1. Meta(data) have a plurality of accurate and relevant attributes. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
R1.1. (Meta)data are released with a clear and accessible data usage license. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
R1.2. (Meta)data are associated with their provenance. – Provided by the DARIAH-DE repository.
R1.3. (Meta)data meet domain-relevant community standards. – Beyond the DARIAH-DE repository, we announce the data publication via romanistik.de. In this way, the data provided by us will also be published in the database of the Fachinformationsdienst Romanistik.
(1) Wilkinson et al. "The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship." Scientific Data vol. 3: 160018. 15 Mar 2016. DOI:10.1038/sdata.2016.18.