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data access

A fundamental principle of scientific research is that other scientists can replicate the results of a study. In historical sciences like paleoanthropology, this requires that other researchers have access to the data. Data access is required by many journals and funders, but some scientists are reluctant to provide data to other researchers.

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How the new White House policy on public access to federally funded research may affect data

The new policy establishes strong expectations for public access to data from federally funded research programs.

White House illuminated at night
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What's the deal with the Sahelanthropus femur?

A news story by Ewen Callaway investigates the mysterious case of this purported earliest bipedal hominin.

Skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis reconstruction in a museum exhibit
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How many students in paleoanthropology can see casts of Australopithecus afarensis?

The real problem with a lack of data access is that 50 years of the fossil record is invisible to many students in the field.

Cranium of Australopithecus afarensis
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Castmaking and early data dissemination in paleoanthropology

The earliest form of data dissemination was the distribution of high fidelity copies of fossils.

Taung fossil skull viewed from the right side.
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Public interests in data from federally funded research

A white paper in which I argue that the public should have access to the data resulting from federally funded research

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Data access to fossil hominins, reflecting on the NSF policy

In a post from 2005, I reflect on why access to data from fossil hominins is of central value to progress in paleoanthropology.