To promote data transparency authors are now required to include a data availability statement in their manuscript explaining where and how others can access the dataset associated with their work. The minimum dataset is needed for independent verification of research results. It is up to the author to determine the minimum dataset to be shared. Some authors might choose to share the full raw data, while others will select a subset of the data that underlies the analysis of the specific article to be published. Neurology Letters does not mandate open data, but a data availability statement is mandatory.

The preferred way to share large datasets is via public repositories. Some of these repositories offer authors the option to host data associated with a manuscript confidentially, and provide anonymous access to peer reviewers before public release. These repositories then coordinate public release of the data with the journal’s publication date. It remains the responsibility of the author to communicate with the repository to ensure that public release is made on time for the online publication of the paper.

Unstructured repositories, such as Figshare and Dryad, are suitable alternatives. Datasets can also be made available as Supplementary material files, which will be freely accessible on the Neurology Letters website upon publication. If data files cannot be deposited in an accessible repository, authors must make the data available to editors and peer reviewers if requested. After publication, authors must likewise arrange to make the data available to any reader directly upon reasonable request.

Source code for any specialized, in-house scripts or programs, that are necessary for the reproduction of results, must be deposited in a public repository (e.g. GitHub), or uploaded as Supplementary material.

Ideally, data should be deposited prior to submission so that during submission you can provide an accurate data availability statement, and the data repository persistent identifier, if applicable. Where datasets have a persistent identifier, or DOI, this should be cited in both the text and the reference section.

Data Availability Statement

The data availability statement should provide information on where and under what conditions the data directly supporting the publication can be accessed.

The data availability statement should be placed at the end of the ‘Materials and methods’ section. For papers that do not have a ‘Material and methods’ section, the statement should be provided as a separate section before the Acknowledgements.
Example data availability statement templates:

• The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in [repository name] at http://doi.org/[doi], reference number [reference number].
• The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary material.
• Raw data were generated at [facility name]. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on request.
• The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to [restrictions e.g. their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants].
• The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.
• Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.