Major Data Sharing Practices
External Data Sharing as Required by Funding Agencies: Here, a federal funding agency (or other funding agency) requires that a researcher agree to make available the specific raw data from a funded project that forms the basis for a published result or conclusion. One researcher might wish to see the data to help them replicate a procedure in their own laboratory. Another might wish to challenge the procedures, analysis, or conclusions drawn from the data. This last possibility causes some researchers to retain their research data and detailed procedural outlines indefinitely. Statistical packages like SPSS are sometimes used to log stepwise analytical procedures. Similarly, if you are analyzing data with advanced computing procedures with AWS-EC2, an exact record of every step performed may be maintained. Keep a research journal detailing all your steps.
Internal Data Sharing with Research Study Staff and Collaborators: Here, we refer to access to a data storage site by research study staff and collaborators. A centralized network storage location is convenient and secure, particularly where individual sign-on credentials are tied to the level of data access required. However, if you want to to share data with graduate students or external collaborators or if data must be accessed from remote sites or after hours, OneDrive or AWS S3 may be more effective storage options for you. For student researchers we strongly recommend that data be stored in your ETSU OneDrive for Business account. OneDrive for Business accounts have the added benefit of file sharing across Teams. For researchers purchasing additional storage, AWS S3 may be less expensive.
External Sharing by Data Type
Non-human research data: Traditional methods of sharing include email attachments, CDs, DVDs, and flash drives. More recent methods include ETSU's Secure Dropbox (limit 2 GB per file), shared research files or folders within an ETSU Microsoft OneDrive for Business account, shared files or folders in AWS S3 buckets, authorized access to a data set on the RedCap survey and database server, or encrypted e-mail attachment. Collaborators or others requesting access to data can authenticate with a non-ETSU email address; ITS can provide assistance. Datasets following publication can also be shared on the Library-managed Digital Commons.
Identifiable Human Data: Data must be appropriately de-identified prior to sharing. Consult with the HIPAA Compliance Officer or IRB Chair prior to sharing. Appropriately de-identified data may generally be shared as for non-human research data.
Research Student Data Sharing with a Research Supervisor
Research Students: If you need to share data files with your research supervisor, and it is permissible to do so (e.g. the files do NOT contain HIPAA identifiers), you can set up a shared folder on your ETSU OneDrive for Business Account. Simply create a research folder and then use "share with" to give your research supervisor permission to access your research data folder using their ETSU credentials. When sharing folders on your ETSU OneDrive for Business account, set folder permission to "view only" to prevent anyone from accidentally deleting or altering your data files. If your data include HIPAA identifiers, you must strictly adhere to the data handling protocol approved by the IRB. No cloud services (not even ETSU OneDrive for Business accounts) are currently approved for storage of HIPAA data.
Data Sharing with ETSU OneDrive for Business
You may use ETSU OneDrive for Business to share any research data other than HIPAA. If your data contain any information regarding human subjects, consult with your research supervisor to be certain that any data sharing method used has been approved by the ETSU IRB.
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OneDrive Sync-Clients for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android
Note that WIN10 users do not need to download a sync client - OneDrive is built into the WIN10 operating system. Keep in mind that it is not necessary to "sync" anything to OneDrive - you may prefer to just manually save files on OneDrive from any device. Synchronizing a huge file repository to a mobile device, for example, may be counterproductive.
How to - OneDrive Sync Client for PC
Download OneDrive Sync Client for PC
How to - OneDrive Sync Client for Mac
Download OneDrive Sync Client for Mac
How to - OneDrive Sync Client for iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)
Download OneDrive Sync Client for iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)
Off Campus Access to Research Data
Non-HIPAA Data: Faculty, staff, and students can access their ETSU OneDrive for Business accounts from off campus. The ETSU REDCap Survey/Database servers can also be accessed from off campus. You may also request remote access to your ETSU desktop computer through the Remote Desktop Gateway.
HIPAA Data: You may access HIPAA data for work off campus using only the specific protocol approved for your study by the ETSU IRB and HIPAA Compliance Officer, further subject to the regulations of any collaborating institution, and only following HIPAA training.