Explainer · Plain-language
Data Availability Statement: Definition, Meaning & Examples | CASRAI
A data availability statement (DAS) is a short, standardised section in a research publication that tells readers where the data underlying the findings can be found, how they can be accessed, and under what conditions. Most major publishers and many funders now require one.
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What a DAS contains
A DAS specifies where the underlying data are held (a named repository, supplementary files, or on request), how to access them (a DOI or accession number, a URL, or a contact and procedure), and any conditions or restrictions (for example ethical or legal limits on sharing sensitive data). The aim is to make the evidence base for a paper locatable and, where possible, reusable.
Common templates
Publishers and organisations such as Springer Nature, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, and the research-funder community publish standard DAS wordings. Typical templates cover: data openly available in a named repository at a DOI; data available from the authors on reasonable request; data subject to restrictions (e.g. confidentiality); and "no new data were generated". Choosing the matching template keeps statements consistent and machine-readable.
Funder and publisher requirements
Many funders require a data management plan and expect data to be shared as openly as possible. Publisher data policies (for instance Springer Nature’s tiered research-data policies) require an explicit DAS in the manuscript. The combination means a DAS is now a routine part of submission for most journals.
Linking to repositories and DOIs
A strong DAS links to a recognised repository (general-purpose ones such as Zenodo, Dryad, or Figshare, or a domain repository) and cites the dataset with a persistent identifier — usually a DataCite DOI. Citing data with a DOI in the reference list, alongside the DAS, supports findability, reuse, and credit for data producers.
Key facts
At a glance
- Also called: Data access statement
- Purpose: Says where + how underlying data can be accessed
- Required by: Many publishers (data policies) and funders
- Best practice: Link to a repository + cite a DataCite DOI
- Templates: Open / on request / restricted / no new data
- Aligned with: FAIR principles; open-research mandates
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: A data availability statement means the data are open.
Actually: No — a DAS describes availability, which may be open, available on request, or restricted for ethical or legal reasons. It states the conditions; it does not guarantee openness.
Often heard: "Available on request" satisfies every policy.
Actually: Not always — some funders and publishers expect data in a repository where feasible. "On request" is acceptable only where genuine restrictions apply and should explain them.
Often heard: A DAS replaces a formal data citation.
Actually: No — best practice is to do both: include the DAS and cite the dataset with a persistent identifier (DOI) in the reference list so the data producers receive credit.
Going deeper
