Sharing Qualitative Data: New Requirements, New Options

Powered by Research Education at University Libraries. Common Quandaries workshop series offers introductions to a variety of skills, tools, and concepts to researchers on campus.

In 2022, the US government announced stringent requirements for data sharing for all recipients of federal grants. The requirements have been in place for NIH grants since early 2023 and have just been announced by NSF for 2025. These new requirements pose challenges to qualitative research, where data has, in the past, rarely been shared. In this presentation, Sebastian Karcher, Associate Director of the Qualitative Data Repository (QDR), will discuss some of the ways to address ethical and logistical challenges of sharing qualitative research data. He will discuss writing effective data management and sharing plans for qualitative research as required for federal funding, give practical advice on key steps such as informed consent and de-identification, and discuss the process of sharing data through QDR.