Sharing data openly is a growing expectation in research, but getting formal recognition for the time and effort involved is still a challenge. This workshop introduces one impactful way to gain academic credit for your data: publishing a data paper. Data papers are peer-reviewed journal articles that describe a dataset in detail — how it was collected, its structure, and its potential value for reuse. Data papers can be particularly helpful for postdocs as they will: 1) add a peer-reviewed publication to your CV; 2) increase the visibility and usability of your dataset; and 3) provide a way for others to cite your data that will contribute to your citation count. In this hands-on session, we will explore the structure and purpose of data papers, walk through examples, and begin drafting key components of based on your own projects.
About the Trainers:
Dr. Alaina Pearce is a research data librarian and behavioral health researcher with 10+ years of experience conducting complex quantitative analyses, developing advanced statistical models, and managing cross-functional teams. A former NIH-funded postdoctoral fellow at Penn State with a PhD in Psychology, Alaina has a longstanding dedication to supporting open, fair data while continuing her research in pediatric obesity.
Dr. Briana Wham is also a research data librarian at Penn State, where she supports data management planning, reproducible research workflows, and institutional repository curation She holds a PhD in Entomology from Penn State, with a research background in bee community ecology. Briana champions open science, museum collection digitization, and bee conservation. She's also a parent of two young children - congratulations, Briana!