FORS replication service

Reproducibility and transparency are important principles of open science for understanding research results.
Therefore, journals and funders are encouraging researchers to share research data and related materials associated with their publications. More and more journals are requiring that all data used in an article be freely available, well documented, and that empirical results be reproducible.

FORS Replication Service is a free solution for journals and researchers to facilitate the sharing of the replication materials underlying publications, including analysis code and any other relevant documentation. The replication materials are fully citable with a DOI and are under a CC license.

What are the benefits of sharing replication materials?

  • Research processes and analysis code are transparent and facilitate methodological progress;
  • The potential validation of the findings brings scientific credibility and enhances researchers’ reputations;
  • The replication materials are fully citable with a DOI, which increases the visibility of the researchers and the citation of their publications.

How to deposit replication materials?
To deposit replication materials linked to a publication and to receive a DOI, go to the FORS Replication Service  and follow these 4 steps:

What replication files should be deposited?
All files and documents underlying a publication should be deposited:

  • Data file(s), including all variables used in the analysis, or a link to the full dataset (DOI);
  • All codes used for the analysis;
  • Readme files that specify the instructions allowing to understand the other files and to produce the same results including instructions for data preparation and for data analysis;
  • Any other files containing any other necessary information for the replication process.

Are the replication materials published straight away?

No. The replication materials are published on the date you have chosen.

If needed, a DOI can be obtained before the publication of an article.

What licenses can be chosen when depositing replication materials?

Researchers can decide how their replication materials should be made available by choosing one of these licenses:

Who to contact for more information or support?

For questions or support regarding the replication service, please contact dataservice@fors.unil.ch