Published and registered datasets both receive DOIs, a citation, and search engine indexing. Published datasets are also freely available for download on PURR’s website, and receive citation tracking and robust archiving services. The registry is a good option for really large or restricted data, but publishing is still the gold standard of data sharing.

You should publish your dataset if:

• It doesn’t contain sensitive material
• It’s less than 10 GB (see our Storage page for publication quotas)
• Your funder or publisher requires open access data sharing

You should register your dataset if:

• It contains sensitive material, and you want to vet individual requests to access it
• It is too large to download through a web browser -roughly 50 GB or more, although each dataset is different*
• It includes physical specimens that can only be accessed in person

*If your data is over 10 GB, please consult with the PURR team about your publishing options. We may be able to provide you with more space, help you condense your dataset, and/or publish select portions of it.