The Influence of Scholarly Output on Scientific Dataset Communication

Research datasets possess enduring value beyond their originally designed purpose, especially as they typically will never be analyzed or utilized to their fullest potential within a given project time frame. The extent of dataset reuse as a mechanism to understand long-term usefulness within and beyond formal channels of scholarly communication, is an area where further investigation is needed particularly in relation to domain-based and subdiscipline differences. Based on the use metric categories and publication types presented by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) for the dissemination of social science-themed datasets, this study presents a parallel analysis of the distribution of traditional and non-traditional publications affiliated with publicly available datasets in the atmospheric sciences. These affiliated publications are works identified by the dataset creator related to a dataset and includes a variety of items such as peer-reviewed journal articles, technical reports, and theses. Preliminary results reveal the potential audiences and communities that dataset contributors reach through selection of publication type and quantity. As the boundaries of scholarly communication are continually pushed by the visibility and intellectual power of scientific datasets, a clearer understanding of their lasting value and extensive influence takes shape.