da/raSearchNet - Advancing the Registration agency for social and economic data towards an international search network for research data from the social and economic sciences

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christof Wolf, since 6/2015
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: from 2011 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 189482514

In information infrastructure projects and Initiatives the development of a common culture and practice of data sharing is aspired. The achievement of this goal is largely dependent on internationally compatible infrastructure that facilitates sustainable data reference as well as integrated search and retrieval of research data. In the light of this pivotal challenge, the project dalraSearchNet aims at establishing an integrated search network for social and economic research data that enables users to search up-to-date references of data holdings on an international basis and in a comfortable way. The point of departure and core of the network is the database of the da|ra registration agency for social and economic data that has been developed within the first three years of funding. The da|ra database already includes searchable metadata from all registered data, among them the considerable holdings of the German GESIS data archive and the US-American ICPSR. Within a second funding period, the content of the database will be expanded significantly by continuing registration activities and by including references to nonregistered research data. Furthermore, data references of other relevant international data providers will be integrated in the da|ra search index. For data providers, da|raSearchNet on the one hand affords an opportunity to give their data a greater visibility and on the other hand to reuse the da|ra metadata within their own information services. Secondary data users benefit from the possibility to search distributed holdings in one place and from several value-added services that allow for individual search, use and management of data references. The holistic project aims at developing an integrated service for data providers as well as secondary data users by focusing on the development of co-operations, the automation of processes, international connectability, reusability, and sustainability of all its components. After the funding period, GESIS will continue operating dajraSearchNet as a permanently established service. Being the key institution for social science infrastructure in Germany, closely connected with the international community and having decades of experience in service development along the research data cycle, GESIS offers an excellent environment for a successful completion of the project.

• DFG Programme: Research data and software (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Tanja Friedrich; Brigitte Hausstein; Dr. Daniel Hienert
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. York Sure-Vetter, until 5/2015