Dryad at MIT

(recommended for quantitative data)

Dryad is a non-profit, community-owned data repository that ensures published data are discoverable, freely reusable, and citable [Mission statement]. All content in Dryad is available for the public to view and download (CC0), free of charge, via an online interface, with a persistent digital object identifier (DOI). In addition to storage and access, Dryad also provides light data curation services. Dryad is integrated with a number of publishers’ platforms and workflows. If required by a publisher, data depositors may opt to embargo their content for a limited period of time before it is made public.

Dryad integrates with Zenodo, a general use repository hosted at CERN to allow deposit of your dataset into the Dryad Digital Repository along with associated code, scripts, and software packages, and facilitate software citation and publishing.

Is Dryad for you?

Use to…	Don’t use if…
Make your data FAIR as encouraged by funders, journals, and societies (Dryad will work with you) Publish and get a permanent digital object identifier (DOI) for your dataset, making it easier to cite Publish associated code, scripts, and software packages via Zenodo, with the ability to select the proper license Track usage and downloads of your datasets Dryad supports most data file types across disciplines Have the ability to deposit data and associated code, scripts, and software packages privately during the peer review period	You cannot agree to the CC0 license for the datasets and/or you cannot agree to the software licenses available to you from Zenodo, when publishing associated code, scripts, or software packages Your data contains sensitive (such as personally identifiable) information that prevents public sharing You need to share articles or other text documents. For these you should use DSpace@MIT, the MIT research repository for “peer-reviewed articles, technical reports, working papers, theses, and more” (for alternatives, please contact data-managment@mit.edu)

Use to…

Don’t use if…

Make your data FAIR as encouraged by funders, journals, and societies (Dryad will work with you)
Publish and get a permanent digital object identifier (DOI) for your dataset, making it easier to cite
Publish associated code, scripts, and software packages via Zenodo, with the ability to select the proper license
Track usage and downloads of your datasets
Dryad supports most data file types across disciplines
Have the ability to deposit data and associated code, scripts, and software packages privately during the peer review period

You cannot agree to the CC0 license for the datasets and/or you cannot agree to the software licenses available to you from Zenodo, when publishing associated code, scripts, or software packages
Your data contains sensitive (such as personally identifiable) information that prevents public sharing
You need to share articles or other text documents. For these you should use DSpace@MIT, the MIT research repository for “peer-reviewed articles, technical reports, working papers, theses, and more”

(for alternatives, please contact data-managment@mit.edu)

Accessing Dryad at MIT for data deposit

MIT Libraries is an Institutional Member of the Dryad data repository. Our institutional membership means that you can deposit datasets from any discipline at little to no cost.

Account creation/linking

You will need an ORCID iD to deposit data in Dryad. Go to MIT Atlas to check or create yours.
Go to https://datadryad.org. Click the Login in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On the “Get started” page, click Login or create your ORCID iD.
On the “Sign in” page, click Access through your institution.
On the “Access through your institution” page, enter ‘Massachusetts Institute of Technology’, and choose from list. Click Continue.
You will be prompted to login via MIT Touchstone and then with your ORCID credentials to connect your Dryad account with MIT’s institutional Dryad membership provided by MIT Libraries.
You have now linked your Dryad account to the institutional Dryad account sponsored by MIT Libraries! You should see the MIT Libraries logo on the top left bar of your screen. In the future you can access this just by using your ORCID iD credentials.

Depositing data walkthrough

Note: You can begin to upload files or fill out the dataset metadata without submitting the data. The next time you login to Dryad, click the My datasets tab in the top right hand menu and you will be able to see, edit, or delete any of your datasets that have not been submitted to Dryad.

Review Dryad’s dataset requirements and submission process walkthrough.
Go to https://datadryad.org. Click the Login in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On the “Get started” page, click Login or create your ORCID iD.
Use your ORCID credentials to sign in.
Confirm that your page header is showing the MIT Libraries wordmark, as below. If you do not see “MIT Libraries”, you need to link your accounts.
Click Start new dataset to begin the submission process for your dataset.
Choose
- a manuscript in process if the journal that you are working with is working with Dryad. Enter the Journal Name and Manuscript Number for your manuscript. Click Import manuscript metadata (bottom left of screen) to import the metadata from the journal.
- a published article if you are submitting data for an already published article. Enter the Journal Name and DOI for your article and then click Import article metadata to import metadata about the article from ORCID and CrossRef.
- other or not applicable if you are submitting a dataset not or not yet associated with a manuscript or article.
Follow the prompts and enter the requested information (metadata) about your dataset. For questions or help, email data-management@mit.edu
Fill out the README form. You can also import your existing README in markdown format. (guidance on READMEs: Dryad | ours)
Upload your data following Dryad’s instructions and considerations.
Once you have chosen all the files you would like to upload they will appear in a table at the bottom of the screen. You will be asked to check the I confirm that no Personal Health Information or Sensitive Data are being uploaded with this submission.” Then click Upload pending files.
Tabular data will be checked and validated against basic standards. If there are any required elements missing from your submission, a big red box will appear at the top of the screen to let you know what you must add in order to submit your dataset.
Do the final review before submitting, and fix any listed errors.
Choose when to publish your data. You have two options: you make it public as soon as possible or keep it private while the related article is in peer review. If kept private, data will not be evaluated by curators until released from this status.
Agree to license (CC0) and to Dryad’s terms of service. Cheer for the fact that some or all of your deposit payment is covered by MIT Libraries. Click Submit.
Once your dataset is submitted and any embargoes are lifted, your dataset will go to curation by Dryad. During this time it is important not to edit your dataset as that will remove your dataset from the curation queue and make it appear as though it is not ready for curation.

CONGRATULATIONS!