List of terms

    FAIR principles

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    Definition

    Describes making scholarly materials Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR). ‘Findable’ and ‘Accessible’ are concerned with where materials are stored (e.g. in data repositories), while ‘Interoperable’ and ‘Reusable’ focus on the importance of data formats and how such formats might change in the future.

    Related terms: Metadata, Open Access, Open Code, Open Data, Open Material, Repository

    References:

    • Crüwell, S., van Doorn, J., Etz, A., et al. (2019). Seven Easy Steps to Open Science: An Annotated Reading List. Zeitschrift Für Psychologie, 227(4), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000387
    • Wilkinson, M. D., Dumontier, M., Aalbersberg, I. J., et al. (2016). The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship. Scientific Data, 3(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18
    • GO FAIR Initiative. (2025). FAIR Principles. https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/

    Originally drafted by: Sonia Rishi

    Reviewed by: Mahmoud Elsherif, Sam Parsons, Charlotte R. Pennington

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