The repository "datastore" serves as a repository for research outputs (e.g., datasets, software, documentations, collections) generated in the course of the research activities conducted by members of the University of Münster. It has been established to provide a shared infrastructure for the dissemination and long-term availability of the University's research outputs.

All content deposited in datastore is subject to the repository's Curation Policy and Terms of Service.

For sharing research data publicly, we recommend considering the FAIR principles. Additionally, please also note the Research Data Management Policy of the University of Münster and the Regulations for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice at the University of Münster (in German).

Records deposited in datastore must comply with the following minimal metadata requirements:

• Resource types: All available resource types are accepted.
• File formats: File formats SHOULD be non-proprietary and interoperable across different programs. They SHOULD also be as durable and reusable as possible. A list of recommended formats is available at LZV.nrw.
• README file: A README file SHOULD be deposited together with the data or software to facilitate reuse.
• Metadata quality: Metadata SHOULD be provided as comprehensively as possible to improve discoverability and enable users to assess the relevance and usability of the record.
• Visibility: Records may be public or restricted (with or without embargo and/or access request).
• Creators: Creators SHOULD be identified with a persistent identifier (e.g., ORCID, GND). Affiliations SHOULD be identified with a persistent identifier (e.g., ROR, ISNI).
• Licenses: Public and embargoed records MUST specify a license.
• Funding information: If the research project was supported by a grant, the corresponding funding information SHOULD be provided.
• Subjects: Records SHOULD specify one or more fields of science from the European Science Vocabulary.

The following review and curation policy applies to all records submitted for publishing in datastore:

• The curation process does not include content review or peer review. Curators at the Service Center for Data Management only check compliance with metadata requirements, repository policies, and technical standards.
• At least one (co-)author must be affiliated with the University of Münster.
• Minor corrections, such as typographical or grammatical errors, may be corrected by curators at the Service Center for Data Management without further notification to the submitting person. Content-related changes are not made without prior consultation.
• Any necessary corrections will be communicated to the submitting person. Records are published only after successful verification by the curators at the Service Center for Data Management.
• Curators at the Service Center for Data Management may edit metadata of records within the repository, without notice, through human or automated processing.
• Content can be deposited under an embargo by specifying an embargo end date and providing a reason for the embargo. The repository will restrict access to the data until the end of the embargo period, at which point the content will automatically become publicly available. The maximum embargo period is 24 months. Longer embargo periods may be permitted in justified cases (e.g. ongoing third-party funded projects, patent applications or requirements imposed by scientific journals or publishers), provided that a valid reason is stated. The embargo is approved as part of the curation process.
• Curators at the Service Center for Data Management may, at their sole discretion, remove records from the repository that do not comply with the curation policy or are deemed to be of insufficient quality. Removals are carried out in accordance with the repository's Terms of Service. Submitting persons are informed in case of removement.
• For research data referring to a publication, it is strongly recommended to reference the corresponding document in the metadata (e.g., DOI of the article).

Contact: forschungsdaten@uni-muenster.de