Open access to qualitative research data : A guide for PhD students in the social sciences at the University of Helsinki

This study emphasises the importance of preserving qualitative research data for secondary use. Universities and funding agencies ask researchers to consider data sharing as part of their research design and funding proposals. There has been significant growth in making data openly available for reuse. Unlike quantitative data, qualitative data is unstructured, and it is difficult to give access to sensitive information contained in the data. Thus, this paper is a source of help for qualitative researchers in multiple ways. First, it provides an analysis of open data science and its process through information provided in University of Helsinki’s webinars and training courses. Second, it answers the concerns of doctoral students dealing with qualitative data in the light of existing literature. Third, it concludes by offering some useful tips for making the data openly accessible to researchers dealing with qualitative data