Sf Data And Transparency

---
name: sf-data-and-transparency
description: Use when preparing the data, code, and transparency materials for a Social Forces (SF) manuscript. SF requires a data availability statement on every published paper and encourages deposit in a public repository where ethically feasible. Covers quantitative and qualitative transparency and restricted-data paths; it does not waive requirements.
---

# Data & Transparency (sf-data-and-transparency)

Social Forces makes one transparency requirement explicit: **"The inclusion of a data availability
statement is a requirement for papers published in the Journal."** Unlike journals that run an
editor-verified pre-publication replication, SF asks for a clear **statement** plus deposit **where
ethically feasible**. Treat the statement as a real deliverable and build the materials as you go so it
is honest and complete.

## When to trigger

- Drafting the **data availability statement** (required for publication)
- Deciding where and how to deposit data and code
- Data cannot be fully shared (privacy, ethics, legal/provider restrictions) and you need the right wording
- Documenting qualitative or restricted sources to support the claims

## What SF requires (verify current wording on the policy page)

1. **Data availability statement.** Every published paper carries one. It should describe whether and
   how the data underlying the results are available — repository name, persistent identifier or
   accession number, or the access process for restricted data.
2. **Deposit where ethically feasible.** Authors are encouraged to deposit data (and ideally analysis
   code) in a **public repository** with persistent identifiers — e.g., openICPSR, Harvard Dataverse,
   OSF, Zenodo. This is encouraged, not a journal-run verification step (待核实 on any evolving policy).
3. **Documentation that supports reproducibility.** A master script + README + pinned versions + seeds,
   so the reported tables and figures can in principle be regenerated.

## When data cannot be shared (restricted-data path)

- **Explain why** in the statement (ethical/privacy concerns or legal restrictions by the provider).
- Give **access instructions**: the application/enclave process and provider contact, so a reader could
  in principle obtain the same data.
- Where possible, provide **synthetic or simulated data** so the code can be run end to end.

## Qualitative / restricted transparency

- Document interviews, fieldnotes, and archival sources in a form that supports the claims (evidence
  tables, annotated sources), with access controls where confidentiality requires them.
- Consent should cover **publication of the data**, and identifying details should be anonymized.

## Build-as-you-go checklist

- [ ] **Data availability statement** drafted (availability + identifier/accession or access process)
- [ ] One **master script** regenerates **every** table and figure from raw/constructed data
- [ ] **README** documents provenance, construction steps, and how to reproduce each exhibit
- [ ] **Seeds** set and reported; software/package **versions pinned**
- [ ] Restricted data: reason + access path + synthetic substitute where feasible
- [ ] Exhibit numbers in the manuscript **match** the deposited/declared materials

## Anti-patterns

- Writing the data availability statement as a one-line afterthought at proofs
- Saying "data available on request" with no repository, identifier, or real process
- Claiming data are restricted without giving an access path or synthetic substitute
- Depositing code that does not actually reproduce the reported tables/figures
- Over-stating SF's policy as an editor-run replication mandate when it is a statement + encouraged deposit

## Output format

```
【Data availability statement】drafted? availability + identifier/access path? [Y/N]
【Deposit】public repository + persistent ID (where feasible)? [Y/N/NA]
【Reproduces tables/figures?】master script verified locally? [Y/N]
【Documentation】README + provenance + seeds + pinned versions? [Y/N]
【Restricted data?】reason + access path + synthetic data?
【Next】sf-review-process
```

## Supplementary resources

- [`../../resources/external_tools.md`](../../resources/external_tools.md) — repositories, reproducibility tooling, qualitative-transparency options
- [`../../resources/official-source-map.md`](../../resources/official-source-map.md) — data availability statement requirement and deposit encouragement