Publishing Reference Data
The concept
Through the RDM, users can publish their uploaded reference data to make it available to anyone according to a specified data license.
Note that data publication is different from sharing the data with the WorldCereal consortium (specified here and here): - data publication requires thorough and proper documentation of the dataset according to WorldCereal standards - as an additional motivation, dedicated quality checks are performed by WorldCereal moderators prior to publication, additionally boosting the quality of your dataset
WorldCereal supports the general movement towards data sharing and open science. Please check the below link to learn more about WorldCereal’s view on opening reference data to society (https://esa-worldcereal.org/en/situ-data-global-crop-mapping).
Data license
Upon publication of a dataset, the contributor will be able to specify a data license, governing the way how the data can be used and redistributed by others.
We highly recommend to use one of the following Creative Commons licenses, but users are free to define their custom license as well:
| License types | Remarks |
|---|---|
| CC0 | No Rights Reserved |
| CC BY | Attribution |
| CC BY-SA | Attribution-ShareAlike |
| CC BY-NC | Attribution-NonCommercial |
| CC BY-NC-SA | Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike |
Practical implications
Before an uploaded dataset can be published, the data contributor needs to ensure the dataset is properly documented according to the WorldCereal standards.
This implies that: - the metadata sheet, including details on data owner, data license and required citation is fully completed.
- the data harmonization procedure is properly documented, clearly describing any operations done to the original data.
The RDM user interface will provide the necessary tools to assist the user in both of these operations, with automated completion where possible.
After preparation by the user, the dataset undergoes thorough checks by a WorldCereal data moderator.
The moderator:
- checks whether all required metadata has been completed
- computes and assigns a confidence score to the entire dataset based on a quality assessment accounting for spatial, temporal and thematic accuracy
Confidence scores are computed based on a pre-defined protocol, depending on the type of the dataset. This protocol can be consulted here: Confidence score calculations
Workflow is Under Development!
We are currently working on a guided workflow within the RDM to facilitate data publication.
In the meantime, if you would like to share your data with the consortium or public, please get in touch through ewoc-rdm@iiasa.ac.at
