Stop treating code like an afterthought: record, share and value it
8 hours ago
- #Scientific Software
- #Open Source
- #Research Integrity
- Scientific research heavily relies on software for various tasks, from data analysis to simulations.
- Software evolves iteratively, often without a 'version of record,' leading to confusion in referencing.
- Balancing preservation and continuous improvement of software presents a challenge for researchers and institutions.
- Efforts to apply FAIR principles to software create administrative burdens, especially for frequently updated projects.
- Researchers advocate for simpler processes to publish software without bureaucratic hurdles.
- The 'CODE beyond FAIR' approach proposes better handling, sharing, and maintenance of scientific software.
- Training in software engineering basics is recommended for all PhD students to improve code sharing practices.
- Platforms like GitHub and Zenodo facilitate code sharing and archiving, but awareness and usage vary.
- Publishers should mandate code sharing at publication to enhance research integrity and reproducibility.
- Institutions should support cross-referencing between projects and versions to improve software accessibility.