Research Data Management (Notes for Authors)

The journal Geologija supports open access to research data, which forms the basis of transparent, reproducible, and high-quality scientific research.

Research data
Research data are generated or processed during research activities to understand, test, or verify hypotheses and to draw scientific conclusions. They may be produced in various formats, including numerical data, images, interviews, notes, transcripts, software code, and other digital or non-digital materials. Where research data are not available in digital form, it is advisable to digitise them when feasible to enable long-term preservation and access in data repositories.

Sharing research data enhances the transparency and verifiability of scientific results, facilitates their use in future studies, and increases the impact of existing data. It also helps researchers gain recognition and build new collaborative opportunities.

Availability of research data
The journal’s co-funder, the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS), requires the editorial board to ensure open access to the research data used in the article before publication. All research data must be prepared in accordance with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Data should be made as open as possible and as closed as necessary.

Authors must include a Data Availability Statement in the manuscript, clearly indicating where the research data are available, including a persistent identifier (e.g. PID, DOI), or providing a justification if access to the data is restricted.

Exceptions to open access research data
If research data cannot be fully shared for legal, ethical, or other justified reasons (e.g. personal data protection, commercially sensitive information, or security considerations), authors must clearly state the reasons for restricted access in the Data Availability Statement.

Data repositories
Authors must deposit research data in trusted data repositories that ensure long-term preservation and appropriate access conditions. The journal Geologija recommends using well-established repositories such as DiRROS, Zenodo, PANGAEA or other suitable repositories. Authors may search for a suitable repository using tools such as https://fairsharing.org or https://www.re3data.org.

Citation of research data
Authors must cite all research data sources in accordance with repository guidelines and the journal’s reference style. Research data must be included in the reference list at the end of the article. If data are not publicly available, this must be clearly stated.

Responsibilities of authors, editors and reviewers
Research data must be accessible to editors and reviewers upon manuscript submission and publicly available by the time of publication. Any embargo on data access is permitted only in exceptional cases and must be justified.

Editors and reviewers may request revisions if the research data underlying the article are not appropriately cited or publicly accessible, unless there are justified reasons for restricting access that are clearly stated and adequately explained.

Additional information
For further clarification, authors may contact the data steward at their institution or the journal’s editorial office (urednik@geologija-revija.si).