Determining my Dataverse & Dataset requirements
All deposits using the Self-Deposit process will require the creation of a new 'Shell Dataverse & Dataset(s)'. This is because any previous Self-Deposits will have been de-accessioned once they have been transferred to, and published on the Dataverse PRODUCE or 'live' site. New ‘Shell Dataverse & Dataset(s)’ can be added to an existing Organisational Dataverse or an appropriate Sub-Dataverse where they exist. If a Dataverse has not yet been published, and you wish to add content to it, then it is possible to create additional Sub-Dataverse & Dataset(s) to complete the deposit.
Additional information is available for specific scenarios below.
This is my first Self-Deposit
If this is your first deposit using the Self-Deposit process then you will require a new 'Shell Dataverse & Dataset(s)'. If you envisage that you will be depositing further data with the ADA using the Self-Deposit process, then you should consider also requesting that an 'Organisational Dataverse' be created for you.
The Organisational Dataverse may be a personal Research Dataverse just for all of your Self-Deposits, or an Institutional Dataverse that others from your institution will also use to deposit their data in to. Either way, the Organisational Dataverse helps to keep all of your Self-Deposits in a single, organised structure, making them easier to locate in the future. An Organisational Dataverse will not be de-accessioned once the other Sub-Dataverse within it have been transferred to the Dataverse PRODUCE site and published. It will remain open and available for other Sub-Dataverses to be created under when additional deposits are required.
If I already have an Organisational Dataverse
Where an Organisational Dataverse already exists, you can choose to have a new 'Shell Dataverse & Dataset(s)' created as a Sub-Dataverse under the Organisational Dataverse. This helps to keep your deposits in an organised fashion within the Dataverse structure, it also means that if you are working on multiple deposits at any one time, they can all be located in a common area.
You can choose to have a number of Themed/Project Sub-Dataverse created under the Organisational Dataverse if this helps you to keep your deposits in an organised and common location.
If I already have a Sub-Dataverse within my Organisational Dataverse
If you have chosen to group your Self-Deposits into Themes or Projects for example, and have previously requested a separate Sub-Dataverse within your Organisational Dataverse. Assuming your new deposit is part of the same Theme or Project, you can choose to have a new 'Shell Dataverse & Dataset(s)' created under the relevant Sub-Dataverse.
If I already have a Dataverse but need to add additional Dataset(s)
If you already have an appropriately named parent Dataverse and require additional Dataset(s) to complete your deposit, and you wish to have the dataset(s) created within that parent Dataverse, the request should be made for a new 'Shell Dataset(s)' to be added to the appropriate parent Dataverse.
Note that this new 'Shell Dataset(s)' will inherit the same general information as the Dataverse that it has been created under. This option would therefore be applicable if the dataset(s) is a new set of data and supporting documentation for the next wave of a longitudinal study or for a Project that has yet to be deposited. If the deposit that you want to add to has already been published, you will need to request a new 'Shell Dataverse & Dataset(s)' be created as the previous Dataverse will have been de-accessioned on the Dataverse DEPOSIT site when it was published.
If I already have an Organisational and/or a Themed/Project Dataverse from a previous Self-Deposit but my new deposit is a different Theme/Project
If you already have an existing Organisational Dataverse and/or a Themed/Project Dataverse, but you want to keep all of your projects and their data separate, and none of the existing Themed/Project Dataverse are appropriate for the creation of a new dataset(s) as the general information descriptions for the Dataverse differ, then a request should be made for a new 'Shell Dataverse and Dataset(s)' to be created.
These should be created within either:
a. the Organisational Dataverse where one exists, or
b. within a newly created Organisational Dataverse if you do not have one, or
c. within a newly created Themed/Project Dataverse that sits within an existing Organisational Dataverse or Themed/Project Dataverse.
How many Datasets do I need
Typically a single project or set of data will require a single dataset under which all of the Supporting Documentation, Data Files, Code and Metadata can be added. For example, If you have a longitudinal study, you may have a single Organisational Dataverse or Sub-Dataverse for the study or research project, but a number of separate datasets for each wave or release of the data. However, it is not uncommon for some Data Owners to want to deposit different versions of their data, each with different access restrictions, thus in this case you may choose to have a dataset for each version of the data that you upload. Ultimately, you can decide how many datasets you wish to use. As a default, the ADA Staff will only create a single Dataset under each Dataverse. Thus, you must request additional Datasets if you need them.