Figshare
Learn more about Figshare, the University of Salford’s research data repository.
What is Figshare?
The University of Salford Figshare is our research data repository which enables you to securely deposit and store your project’s research data.
The University provides the Figshare repository to facilitate good research data management practice. It is an important piece of infrastructure which helps to deliver on the University’s commitment to make data as open as possible and only as restricted as necessary.
How to get started
To submit research data in Figshare, you will first need an account:
- Visit Salford Figshare
- Check if you have an existing account by clicking Log in
- If you are unable to log in, then you require a new account to be set up
- Contact library-research@salford.ac.uk and request a new Figshare account
- Review the University’s Data Depositor Agreement
- Once you have received confirmation your account has been set up, visit Figshare and click Log in
- You are now ready to use Figshare
Deposit process
All outputs deposited in Figshare are subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Data Depositor Agreement.
What to deposit
Figshare is separate from the University’s institutional repository, USIR, and fulfils a different purpose. It is primarily intended for storing research data, video and audio files. In addition, Figshare offers the functionality to create collections and multiple versions of an output.
| Output | Figshare |
| Research data | ✓ |
| Video | ✓ |
| Audio | ✓ |
| Output which requires versioning | ✓ |
| Collection of outputs | ✓ |
Add files and documentation
Once logged in, navigate to the ‘My Data’ area. From here you can start the deposit of your data by clicking on ‘Create a new item’. Up to 500 files can be uploaded per record in Figshare. Folders can also be uploaded directly while maintaining the folder structure.
You should consider uploading a README file in plain text format to support and contextualise any data which you upload. More information can be found in the Documentation and Metadata section of the research data management guidance.
Metadata fields
Certain fields in the Figshare submission form are mandatory, these are denoted with an asterisk (*). Metadata fields can be added or edited after publication but making changes will trigger a new version of the dataset with an updated DOI.
| Metadata field | Information required |
| Title* | Provide a descriptive title that is more than just a file name. This improves discoverability on search engines such as Google. |
| Group* | The group should be set as University of Salford unless otherwise agreed. |
| Item type* | Choose the most appropriate item type for your output. Only the Dataset item type is indexed in Google Datasets. |
| Authors* | List the authors in the order you would like them displayed. Co-authors can be added from the drop-down if they have a Figshare account or added manually. |
| Categories* | Select one or multiple categories the output best correlates with. |
| Keywords* | Add keywords which will help to make your output more discoverable. |
| Description* | Add as much information as possible so that others can discover, understand and reuse your data. Provide context on the methodology and techniques used, as well as details of how the data can be reused and to what purpose. |
| Funding | Add any sources of funding from the linked database of grants. If you don’t have a grant code, add the funder’s name and the name of the grant. |
| Related materials | Add identifiers (e.g. DOI) or links to any relevant content or external sources. This might be a journal article, project website, or software held elsewhere. |
| Licence* | Choose a licence for your data which will define the conditions of reuse. Figshare provide more information on the most appropriate licence for your research. |
Storage quota
Each user on Figshare is set up with a standard allocation or ‘personal quota’ of 10 GB of storage space. The repository has a limited amount of storage space available and there is a financial cost to requesting additional storage; you should therefore take the time to carefully appraise and select your research data before submitting it to Figshare.
Request more storage space
To request additional storage space, log in to your account and navigate to the ‘My data’ page. Below the file upload box, you should see a breakdown of your personal quota and an option to ‘request more storage’. Click this link and type your new requested quota; please make sure your request is in GBs.
Requests for additional storage will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the research support team. If a single project requires more than 10 GB of storage space, please get in touch to discuss your storage needs in more detail.
Access restrictions
If you need to restrict access to your research data indefinitely or for a limited period, there are options available to you within Figshare. You can restrict access to the files contained within the record or, where appropriate, hide the record completely.
Where restrictions have been placed upon your data, you should provide a clear and reasonable justification e.g. access is restricted due to the commercially sensitive nature of the data.
Permanent embargo
A permanent embargo can be applied to your output in the submission form. You can find the ‘Add embargo’ option under ‘Item actions’ section. From the ‘Embargo period’ dropdown menu, select permanent embargo.
Limited period embargo
An embargo can also be applied for a limited period. Find the ‘Add embargo’ option under the ‘Item actions’ section of the submission form. Under ‘Embargo period’, you can either select a predefined length of time for the embargo or set a date for the data to become public.
FAQs
Is the University's Figshare repository the same as Figshare.com?
No, the University of Salford Figshare is a separate repository which is publicly accessible but only available for Salford researchers to deposit data. Figshare.com is a general repository available for anyone to use.
Please check you are using salford.figshare.com before depositing your data.
Can I cite my Figshare output?
Yes. First, click on the ‘Cite’ button underneath the title of your published output. Then choose the appropriate citation style and whether to copy the whole citation or just the output’s DOI.
How are research outputs preserved on Figshare?
Research data published in Figshare is pushed to Arkivum to ensure long-term preservation. Arkivum is a digital archive and preservation solution which is integrated with the University’s Figshare repository.
Can outputs be deleted once they are published?
In exceptional circumstances, it is possible for an administrator to unpublish your output on Figshare. A ‘tombstone’ record with the reason for removal is created after unpublishing.
Contact the research support team if you need further information.