New ISSDA Dataverse Makes Social Science Data Easier to Find and Use
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The Irish Social Science Data Archive (ISSDA) is pleased to announce the launch of (opens in a new window)ISSDA Dataverse, a modern platform that significantly enhances how users access, discover, and work with archived social science data. Supported by funding from (opens in a new window)Research Ireland, ISSDA Dataverse offers multiple benefits to users including ease of data access, discoverability, and use. The open-source platform also increases the FAIRness of deposited data meaning that it is findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. Together with our new look ISSDA website, with its increased accessibility and user-friendly interface, ISSDA Dataverse represents a significant improvement in how researchers and data managers interact with Ireland’s leading repository of quantitative social science data.
What is Dataverse?
(opens in a new window)Dataverse is an open-source data repository platform designed by Harvard University to share, preserve, cite and explore research data. Dataverse enables repositories to make datasets easily discoverable and accessible online. It is widely used by data repositories including by a number of (opens in a new window)CESSDA Service Providers. For researchers and data managers, this means more reliable data sharing and long-term preservation. Dataverse is supported by and maintained by (opens in a new window)4Science, a trusted provider with many years experience working with universities and research institutions on digital projects, and managing open software solutions. The ISSDA Dataverse repository is hosted on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud in the Dublin Data Center, ensuring a robust and secure technical platform.
Key Benefits for Data Users
- Streamlined access with institutional logins
- Improved discoverability through a new search interface and standardised metadata
- Grouped datasets by project or organisation for easier browsing
- Open Access datasets and documentation can be downloaded directly
- Datasets available in multiple formats including tab-delimited and RStudio-ready files
- Automatic data citation in EndNote, RIS, or BibTex formats
Explore the ISSDA Dataverse User Guide
Key Benefits for Data Depositors
- DOIs minted for datasets via DataCite to enhance discoverability
- Compliance with international metadata standards ((opens in a new window)Data Documentation Initiative (DDI), (opens in a new window)CESSDA Metadata Model)
- Inclusion in the (opens in a new window)CESSDA Data Catalogue, increasing visibility across Europe
- Data linked to research outputs via ORCID iDs and publication PIDs
Explore the (opens in a new window)ISSDA Dataverse
How can I learn more about ISSDA Dataverse?
Training on ISSDA Dataverse for data users and depositors will commence in Autumn 2025 and will be advertised on the ISSDA website and social media.
Can I access all ISSDA datasets via ISSDA Dataverse?
Over 100 datasets are now available via ISSDA Dataverse including EU-SILC, Growing Up in Ireland, Healthy Ireland, Household Budget Survey(HBS), Labour Force Survey and TILDA among others . Over the coming months, we will be adding more datasets to the platform. In the meantime for datasets not in ISSDA Dataverse please check our complete list of ISSDA Datasets and how to request them.