The Dataverse Network Project

A Dataverse for Your Department: Use a dataverse to proffer resources available to all your departmental communities, organized in a hierarchical structure.

What is a dataverse?

A dataverse is a virtual archive where you can organize and present data from many sources, and devote collections to coherent subjects or academic disciplines. Authentication of membership can be determined, which enables limitation of access to department members. Members also receive formal citation credit for their own data. When released to the public, a dataverse can increase member's web visibility. Easy customization makes your dataverse look like part of your departmental website.

How do I get a dataverse for my department?

Go to http://dvn.iq.harvard.edu and click “Create Your Own Dataverse”. (It takes less than a minute!) After you create your dataverse, you can upload studies and data, define collections, and customize the format and style to brand it like your department's website. Release your dataverse to share it with others, and link to it from members' websites. Dataverses are free and easy to create.

What are the features?

• Procure safe and permanent data storage in preservation format.
• Remove need to translate data when statistical software formats change.
• Obtain formal citations to your data, including globally unique identifiers and universal numeric fingerprints.
• Establish an unbreakable link between department data and related published work.
• Acquire easy ways for others to find your department’s data and related publications.
• Share your data with everyone, those who sign your licensing agreement, or only those individuals you approve.
• Allow users to download data in any format and run many advanced statistical methods on-line.

What is the Dataverse Network Software?

It’s a web application that serves out individual dataverses to scholars, research groups, journals, presses, scholarly organizations, departments, libraries, universities, and archives. IQSS developed it at Harvard. Several sites, including IQSS, maintain permanent archives and run the necessary software and servers. This software is open-source, free, and easy to use. You do not need to install it to make your own dataverse. See http://TheData.org for more information.