The call for open access to research data has introduced challenging changes to funding agencies, research institutions, and publishers worldwide. This has also posed challenges for the Thai scholarly community, particularly in the field of digital humanities (DH). This study explores the perspectives and practices of DH researchers on research data sharing, including the factors and barriers influencing their data sharing practices. The research employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. The initial stage involved semi-structured interviews with 15 Thai DH researchers. The recordings were subsequently transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Following this, an online survey was distributed to Thai DH researchers nationwide. Seventy six validated responses were used for analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative data were then integrated to provide comprehensive insights. The findings indicate that most Thai DH researchers prefer to open their research output and share their knowledge rather than research data. However, Thai DH researchers recognize the significance of research data sharing. Three patterns of research data sharing among Thai DH researchers could be identified: (1) No research data sharing, (2) Research data sharing within an exclusive network, and (3) Research data sharing as academic norms. Factors influencing data sharing can be grouped into research data policies, research transparency and academic recognition, increased publication and data citation rates, positive experiences in data reuse, and academic and professional networking. Perceived risks related to academic growth and concerns on copyrights and intellectual property, ownership, and research ethics are mostly reported as barriers to research data sharing within the Thai DH community.
AyrisP (2017) Challenges and opportunities for research data management in the arts, humanities and social sciences: A practitioner’s viewpoint. In: LEARN Toolkit of Best Practice for Research Data Management, pp. 47–58. Available at: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1546540 (accessed 20 November 2024).
3.
BorgmanCL (2012) The conundrum of sharing research data. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology63(6): 1059–1078.
4.
BotéJJTermensM (2019) Reusing data: Technical and ethical challenges. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology39(6): 329–337.
5.
BullSRobertsNParkerM (2015b) Views of ethical best practices in sharing individual-level data from medical and public health research: A systematic scoping review. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10(3): 225–238.
6.
BullSCheahPYDennyS, et al. (2015a) Best practices for ethical sharing of individual-level health research data from low- and middle-income settings. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10(3): 302–313.
7.
BuysCMShawPL (2015) Data management practices across an institution: Survey and report. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication3(2): 1225.
8.
ChamnongsriNPhosaardSThianniwetT, et al. (2023) Behavior and attitude regarding research data management and sharing of researchers in Thai universities. Journal of Information Science Research and Practice42(1): 114–132.
9.
ChawingaWDZinnS (2019) Global perspectives of research data sharing: A systematic literature review. Library & Information Science Research41(2): 109–122.
10.
CheahPYJatupornpimolNHanboonkunupakarnB, et al. (2018) Challenges arising when seeking broad consent for health research data sharing: A qualitative study of perspectives in Thailand. BMC Medical Ethics19(86): 1–11.
11.
CheahPYTangseefaDSomsamanA, et al. (2015) Perceived benefits, harms, and views about how to share data responsibly: A qualitative study of experiences with and attitudes toward data sharing among research staff and community representatives in Thailand. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10(3): 278–289.
12.
ChildsSMcLeodJLomasE, et al. (2014) Opening research data: Issues and opportunities. Records Management Journal24(2): 142–162.
13.
ChowdhuryGÜnalYKurbanogluS, et al. (2019) Research data management and data sharing behaviour of university researchers. Information Research24(1): 1–22.
14.
CramerJ (2023) Privacy, data sharing, and other legal considerations. Surgical Clinics of North America103(2): 347–356.
CurtyRYoonAJengW, et al. (2016) Untangling data sharing and reuse in social sciences. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology53(1): 1–5.
17.
CurtyRG (2016) Factors influencing research data reuse in the Social Sciences: An exploratory study. International Journal of Digital Curation11(1): 96–117.
18.
DonnellDPO (2018) Humanities data and their research use open science infrastructures for big cultural data international advanced masterclass. In: The open science infrastructures for big cultural data international advanced masterclass, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2246390.
19.
Dorta-GonzálezPGonzález-BetancorSMDorta-GonzálezMI (2021) To what extent is researchers’ data-sharing motivated by formal mechanisms of recognition and credit?Scientometrics126(3): 2209–2225.
20.
EdmondJTóth-CzifraE (2018) Open data for humanists, a pragmatic guide so, why should I care? Available at: https://zenodo.org/records/2657248 (accessed 20 November 2024).
21.
ElsayedAMSalehEI (2018) Research data management and sharing among researchers in Arab universities: An exploratory study. IFLA Journal44(4): 281–299.
22.
ErzsébetTCMartaBFrancescoG, et al. (2024) Research Data Management for Arts and Humanities. DARIAH-DE Working Papers No.47. Gottingen. Available at: https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/142833 (accessed 20 November 2024).
FanielIMBarrera-GomezJKriesbergA, et al. (2013) A comparative study of data reuse among quantitative social scientists and archaeologists. In: iConference, pp.797–800.
25.
FanielIMKriesbergAYakelE (2012) Data reuse and sensemaking among novice social scientists. Proceedings of the ASIST Annual Meeting49(1): 1–10.
26.
FecherBFriesikeSHebingM (2015) What drives academic data sharing?PLoS One10(2): e0118053.
27.
FitzgeraldAMohamad HashimH (2012) Enabling access to research data in developing countries: Designing a policy and practice framework for Malaysia’s public research universities. In: Proceedings of the 1st global thematic IASC conference on the knowledge commons (eds De MoorTDedeurwaerdereT), Belgium, pp.1–13. International Association for the Study of the Common. Available at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/54229/%0A?c (accessed 20 November 2024).
28.
FunariM (2014) Research data and humanities: A European context. Indian Journal of Library and Information Science5: 209–239.
29.
GaffieldCLarrousseNPriddyM (n.d) Scaling up arts and humanities: The DARIAH approach to data and services.
30.
GardinerEMustoRG (2015) The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
31.
GoldsteinS (2018) Social scientists’ data reuse principally influenced by disciplinary norms, attitude, and perceived effort. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice13(2): 109–111.
32.
HsuLMartinRLMcElroyB, et al. (2015) Data management, sharing, and reuse in experimental geomorphology: Challenges, strategies, and scientific opportunities. Geomorphology244: 180–189.
33.
HuangXHawkinsBALeiF, et al. (2012) Willing or unwilling to share primary biodiversity data: Results and implications of an international survey. Conservation Letters5(5): 399–406.
34.
IsraelM (ed.) (2015) Research Ethics and Integrity for Social Scientists : Beyond Regulatory Compliance, 2nd edn.London: Sage.
35.
JengWHeDOhJS (2016) Toward a conceptual framework for data sharing practices in social sciences: A profile approach. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology53(1): 1–10.
KaewkungwalJAdamsPSattabongkotJ, et al. (2020) Issues and challenges associated with data-sharing in LMICs: Perspectives of researchers in Thailand. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene103(1): 528–536.
38.
KelliAMetsTViderK, et al. (2019) Challenges of transformation of research data into open data: The perspective of social sciences and humanities. International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development17(3): 227–251.
39.
KimY (2017) Fostering scientists’ data sharing behaviors via data repositories, journal supplements, and personal communication methods. Information Processing & Management53(4): 871–885.
40.
KimYStantonJM (2016) Institutional and individual factors affecting scientists’ data-sharing behaviors: A multilevel analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology67(4): 776–799.
LateESkovMKumpulainenS (2024) To share or not to share? Image data sharing in the social sciences and humanities. Information Research an international electronic journal29(2): 386–400.
43.
LimwichitrSSucha-xayaN (2019) Developing guidelines for anthropological research data management on the basis of human research ethics. Journal of Information Science37(2): 64–93.
44.
LinekSBFecherBFriesikeS, et al. (2017) Data sharing as social dilemma: Influence of the researcher’s personality. Plos One12(8): 1–24.
45.
LodwickL (2019) Sowing the seeds of future research: Data sharing, citation and reuse in archaeobotany. Open Quaternary5(7): 1–15.
46.
LoganJARHartSASchatschneiderC (2021) Data sharing in education science. AERA Open7(1): 1–11.
47.
LoveJS (2018) Research Data Management & DH for the Humanities and Social Sciences at Stockholm University. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1247868%0A%0A.
48.
MahanarongchaiS (2015) Humanities: Problems and challenges in the study of this discipline. Journal of Faculty of Arts, Silpakorn University37(2): 222–242.
MauthnerNSParryO (2009) Qualitative data preservation and sharing in the social sciences: On whose philosophical terms?Australian Journal of Social Issues44(3): 291–307.
51.
NaderifarMGoliHGhaljaieF (2017) Snowball sampling: A purposeful method of sampling in qualitative research. Strides in Development of Medical Education14(3): e67670.
52.
NagavajaraC (2009) Honorary lecture ‘The survival of Thai humanities’. In: Honorary Lecture Professor Ksarn Chatikavanij No.5 on ‘The survival of Thai Humanities’. Bangkok: Mahidol University, pp.17–64. Available at: https://op.mahidol.ac.th/ra/contents/orra_document/SPEECH/SPEECH-2552.pdf (accessed 20 November 2024).
53.
OECD (2015) Making Open Science a Reality. Paris: OECD Publishing. DOI: 10.1787/5jrs2f963zs1-en.
54.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2007) OECD principles and guidelines for access to research data from public funding. Data Science Journal. Paris, France. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264034020-en-fr (accessed 1 May 2019).
55.
O’DonnellDP (2018) The bird in hand: Humanities research data in the age of Open Data (version 1). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1470822.
56.
PatelD (2016) Research data management: A conceptual framework. Library Review65(4–5): 226–241.
57.
PerrierLBlondalEMacDonaldH (2020) The views, perspectives, and experiences of academic researchers with data sharing and reuse: A meta-synthesis. Plos One15(2): 1–21.
58.
PiwowarHA (2011) Who shares? Who doesn’t? Factors associated with openly archiving raw research data. PLoS One6(7): e18657.
59.
PiwowarHADayRSFridsmaDB (2007) Sharing detailed research data is associated with increased citation rate. PLoS One2(3): e308.
60.
PooleAHGarwoodDA (2020) Digging into data management in public-funded, international research in digital humanities. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology71(1): 84–97.
61.
ProstHMalleretCSchöpfelJ (2015) Hidden treasures: Opening data in PhD dissertations in Social Sciences and Humanities. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication3(2): 1230.
62.
PryorG (2012) Managing Research Data. London: Facet Publishing.
63.
RathLL (2016) Low-barrier-to-entry data tools: Creating and sharing humanities data. Library Hi Tech34(2): 268–285.
64.
RayJM (ed). (2014) Research Data Management: Practical Strategies for Information Professionals. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.
SaeedSAliPMN (2019) Research data management and data sharing among research scholars of life sciences and social sciences. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology39(6): 290–299.
68.
SariyarMSchluenderISmeeC, et al. (2015) Sharing and reuse of sensitive data and samples: Supporting researchers in identifying ethical and legal requirements. Biopreservation and Biobanking13(4): 263–270.
69.
SchmidtBGemeinholzerBTreloarA (2016) Open data in global environmental research: The Belmont forum’s open data survey. PLoS One11(1): 1–29.
70.
SchöchC (2013) Big? smart? Clean? messy? Data in the humanities. Journal of Digital Humanities2(3): 2–13.
71.
StieglitzSWilmsKMirbabaieM, et al. (2020) When are researchers willing to share their data? – Impacts of values and uncertainty on open data in academia. PLoS One15(7): 1–20.
72.
SuhrBDunglJStockerA (2020) Search, reuse and sharing of research data in materials science and engineering-A qualitative interview study. PLoS One15(9): e0239216.
73.
SunGKhooCSG (2016) Social science research data curation: Issues of reuse. Libellarium Journal for the Research of Writing Books and Cultural Heritage Institutions9(2): 59–80.
74.
TenopirCAllardSDouglassK, et al. (2011) Data sharing by scientists: Practices and perceptions. Plos One 6(6): 1–21.
75.
TenopirCChristianLAllardS, et al. (2018) Research data sharing: Practices and attitudes of geophysicists. Earth and Space Science5(12): 891–902.
76.
TenopirCDaltonEDAllardS, et al. (2015) Changes in data sharing and data reuse practices and perceptions among scientists worldwide. PLoS One10(8): e0134826.
77.
TenopirCRiceNMAllardS, et al. (2020) Data sharing, management, use, and reuse: Practices and perceptions of scientists worldwide. PLoS One15(3): 1–26.
78.
TenopirCSanduskyRJAllardS, et al. (2014) Research data management services in academic research libraries and perceptions of librarians. Library & Information Science Research36(2): 84–90.
Van Den EyndenVCortiLWoollardM, et al. (2011) Managing and Sharing Research Data: A Best Practice Guide for Researchers. Essex: UK Data Archive. Available at: http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/media/2894/managingsharing.pdf (accessed 20 March 2019).
83.
van HorikR (2019) The research data alliance and the humanities. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3355145.
84.
WallisJCRolandoEBorgmanCL (2013) If we share data, will anyone use them? Data sharing and reuse in the long tail of science and technology. PLoS One8(7): e67332.
85.
WhyteAPryorG (2011) Open Science in practice: Researcher perspectives and participation. International Journal of Digital Curation6(1): 199–213.
86.
WoeberCA (2017) Towards Best Practice in Research Data Management in the Humanities. Master of Information Studies, Victoria University of Wellington. Available at: https://ir.wgtn.ac.nz/handle/123456789/20258 (accessed 20 November 2024).
87.
YardleySJWattsKMPearsonJ, et al. (2014) Ethical issues in the reuse of qualitative data: Perspectives from literature, practice, and participants. Qualitative Health Research24(1): 102–113.
88.
YoonAKimY (2020) The role of data-reuse experience in biological scientists’ data sharing: An empirical analysis. Electronic Library38(1): 186–208.
