ADP offers long-term preservation of the research data that are relevant for social science analysis, with a focus on issues related to Slovenian society. Priority is given to studies that are substantively relevant and methodologically well prepared, in particular longitudinal data and internationally comparable data that take Slovenia into account. It also deposits topics that do not strictly fall within the social sciences, but are similar in structure to data in this field and have no other curator, e.g. humanities, medicine. ADP also deposits data from government offices (Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, Social Protection Institute of the Republic of Slovenia), NGOs and citizen researchers.
For smaller, problem-, methodological- and usability-limited studies, usually used to verify and replicate scientific findings presented in the scientific literature, ADP offers a self-deposit option within the short-term curation self-deposit system. Such studies must also meet the basic criteria for acquisition (see How to publish).
When evaluating a study, ADP considers the following aspects:
1. compliance with the ADP Collection development policy,
2. scientific value of the data,
3. compliance with the principles of open access to data,
4. legal and ethical principles,
5. reusability potential,
6. assessing the relevance of the study in terms of the long-term data curation costs
On the basis of this assessment, the ADP determines the suitable curation system.
Two research curation systems
- Long-term data curation
Studies that have passed a scientific quality assessment and are theoretically or practically relevant, methodologically appropriate, with comprehensively documented data, have broad applicability for further analyses, and are accessible in a trusted national or international scientific data repository. - Short-term curation self-deposit
Studies are archived in a repository under a short-term data curation self-deposit regime, where detailed quality assessment is not guaranteed. They are generally of a smaller scale, limited in terms of theme, methodology and reusability, and usually serve to verify and repeat scientific findings presented in the scientific literature
Two sub-collections of the ADP Collection
- The long-term data curation studies
It is a sub-collection of studies under active curation that has undergone a more detailed review of quality, in which an assessment of relevance to science is made. A study is considered as a scientific publication. Such studies are subject to long-term data curation. - The short-term data curation studies
It is a sub-collection of the studies that has been processed under the system of short term data curation self-deposit. They have undergone only a basic review of the quality of the material handed over. ADP is responsible for supporting and preserving digital objects in the form in which they were received (bit-level preservation). For this type of data, short-term data curation is provided.
CRITERIA TO HELP ASSESS THE RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY
1) Continuity of research
Studies that are part of a series are generally better evaluated as independent ad-hoc studies. These are in most cases studies that are part of a research tradition, for example, Slovene Public Opinion Survey.
2) Comparability of research
Studies, which allow for interim or geographical comparisons, are generally better evaluated. These include studies that are part of international studies, such as, for example, European Social Survey, and studies containing data from countries other than Slovenia.
3) Quality sampling and appropriate population
Studies, which use sampling that allows greater generalization are usually better evaluated. Studies, covering the entire population (total universe) or using random sampling with the Central Population Register as a sampling frame, are usually evaluated better than studies, using non-random sampling, such as quota or occasional samples (for example, online data collection).
4) Data size
More extensive studies involving more than one unit (1000 or more) and variables (200 or more) are generally better evaluated than those of which the size of the database is smaller.
5) Geographic coverage
Studies covering smaller areas of a particular country (place, city or statistical region) are generally evaluated with lower grades than studies that geographically cover a larger area (the whole country or even more countries).
6) Content of the study
A study that completes the research gap with its content may be evaluated higher, even in cases when it does not fully meet all other criteria. However, studies’ content which covers a wider research field that may be reused in a number of practical problems, usually receive higher grades.
7) Other methodological criteria
In addition to the above, there are other methodological criteria, such as a methodologically relevant questionnaire, quality data collection or a sufficiently high response rate, according to the method of data collection. If the certain methodological criteria are not fully met, the evaluation may be lower.
8) Relevance and quality of study materials
Complete study documentation is the basic criterion for the acceptance of the study into the ADP Collection. If the basic criteria are met, but there are still some minor weaknesses or lack of relevant materials, the study may receive lower grades. The complete documentation contains materials that fully complement the database and thus enable quality reuse of data.
Recommended data formats
(glej Priporočeni formati).
We recommend preparing data files in formats that are independent of software and computer platforms. This ensures long-term preservation and access to the ADP Collection.
Upon data and materials acquisition, the ADP checks the submitted data formats and, if needed, either transforms them into appropriate formats or asks the depositor to submit the materials in our recommended file formats.
Ethical and legal aspects
Timely data management planning provides the conditions that must be met before the material is deposited in the ADP:
- The depositor assures that ethical standards, defined by the profession or organisation, are met before depositing the material.
- The depositor assures that personal data in the deposited materials is protected.
- The depositor assures that sharing rights in deposited materials are defined.
