Definitions

Definitions of terms used throughout the repository user guide.

Account

A User-controlled means of access to Arizona State University (ASU) Dataverse that is protected by an ASURITE username and password, with which Users can obtain access to the ASU Research Data Repository’s uploading and downloading functionalities.

Administrator

The User who created, controls, and is the main organizer, curator, and manager of a particular dataverse.

API - Application Programming Interface

API stands for “Application Programming Interface” and can be considered a back-end tool for special use cases where you need to connect Dataverse to another platform. For details see API Terms of Use and Advanced Dataset and Metadata Editing Using the API (coming soon).

Author

The person(s) from whom the data within the dataset originated; the person(s) who conducted the research that led to the creation of the dataset. This person can but need not be the same as the Depositor.

Collection

A virtual container with which to store research data studies (including datasets and other dataverses) that can be customized and managed by its owner. Also referred to as a Dataverse or Dataverse collection. See also Dataverse.

Content

Any information, data, text, software, scripts, graphics, and interactive features found on the ASU Research Data Repository application.

Curation

The actions of any User on the ASU Research Data Repository application that organize, shape, or otherwise edit the state, status, configuration, or content of any datasets or dataverses.

Data Use Agreement

This is the restricted data usage license agreement option that the ASU Research Data Repository offers. If applied to a User Submission, the Data Use Agreement will be a legally-binding license contract between the Depositor and any Downloader of that User Submission.

Data Usage License Agreement

The license agreement between a Depositor and a Downloader governing the limits and restrictions (or lack thereof) of how the downloaded User Submissions can be used.

Dataset

A study, experiment, set of observations, or publication that is uploaded by a User. A dataset can comprise a single file or multiple files.

Dataverse

A virtual container with which to store research data studies (including datasets and other dataverses) that can be customized and managed by its owner. Also referred to as a Dataverse Collection or simply collection. See also Collection.

Depositor

A User who uploads a collection of data files as a dataset to a dataverse on the application.

Download Data

Information collected whenever a dataset is downloaded, including but not limited to a user account name, time of download, and downloaded file name.

Metadata

Accompanying information, either in a separate file or otherwise included in the dataset materials, about a particular dataset or dataverse, including but not limited to the Author’s name, publishing date, the title of data contents, description of contents, and other related information.

Preservation

A set of activities aimed at ensuring that digital information of continuing value remains accessible and usable. Professional archival services, including backups, recovery, and standards-based persistent identifiers. The Service facilitates archival and long-term access to datasets with persistent Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) provided by DataCite via ASU Library’s Global Dataverse Community Consortium (GDCC) membership.

Publish

A function is available for User Submissions by which Users can make their dataverse and/or their dataset containing data files publicly available and publicly searchable on the ASU Research Data Repository application search engine and third-party search engines (e.g., Google Search or Bing Search).

Restricted User Submissions

Any User Submissions that are published with either the ASU Research Data Repository’s Data Use Agreement or with a customized data usage license agreement that the Depositor drafts and/or designates for the Submission.

Service

The ASU’s services are accessed via the Site, in which ASU-affiliated users share, store, preserve, cite, explore, and make research data accessible and discoverable.

Site

The ASU Research Data Repository website, including the application and server, is brought to you by the ASU Library. The website was previously referred to as ASU Dataverse.

Unpublished Dataset

An uploaded dataset that has not yet been made available to the public is viewable only to the Depositor or other users to whom the Depositor has granted access.

Unrestricted User Submissions

Any User Submissions published with a default CC0 default public domain dedication waiver agreement.

Use of the Service

Any access to, use of, or other action involving the ASU Research Data Repository application’s functions, services, resources, and repository of datasets, including but not limited to any uploading, posting, submitting, storing, searching for, downloading, distributing, facilitating distributions, and otherwise utilizing any Content found on the ASU Research Data Repository application.

User

Any individual or entity who owns and/or controls a registered account on the ASU Research Data Repository.

User Submissions

Uploaded dataverses and datasets.

User Uploads

Any uploaded, submitted, disclosed, distributed, or otherwise posted content by a User, including but not limited to new dataverses, new datasets, Metadata information, custom data usage license agreements, descriptive information for dataset download pages, user guides, and other contributions either originating from the User or originating from a third-party author who gave permission to the User to disseminate on the ASU Research Data Repository application.