Match Study Data
1. Introduction
All applicants that wish to have access to, and use data from the MATCH study to conduct secondary data analyses should contact Mathieu Bélanger or the research coordinator for the MATCH study. In addition to protecting the confidentiality of the data and assuring the ethics and legality of their use by Data Users, the intent is to assure that publications emanating from this database are consistent in the sample sizes and in the variables reported, and that there is no overlap between analyses undertaken and publications.
2. Ownership of MATCH Data
MATCH data belong to the Principal Investigators and Co-Investigators of the MATCH study. Data Users do not own the data.
3. Application for MATCH Data
Access to data collected in the MATCH Study is open to any university-appointed/affiliated investigator upon successful completion of the application process. MSc, PhD, and Postdoctoral students may apply for use of the data through their primary supervisor. In order to obtain access, applicants must submit an electronic copy of the “Request for MATCH Data Application Form” to the MATCH Research Team. This form is available upon request.
4. Review of Proposal
Receipt of the “Request for MATCH Data Application Form” will initiate the review process by the MATCH Research Team. The proposal will be reviewed by 2-3 members of the MATCH Research Team and/or by persons with specialized expertise outside the team. Approval will be based on scientific merit, relevance, and overlap with other projects. The review process will produce one of two outcomes – acceptance or rejection. Results of the review (including recommendations, and/or reason(s) for rejection) will be communicated by email to applicants within 4-6 weeks of the date of application.
5. IRB Approval
Data Users will/may be requested to provide a certificate of ethics approval from their own institutional IRB.
6. Preparation of the Database for Release to Data Users
The MATCH Research Team will prepare/has prepared a listing of databases which include all MATCH data. After acceptance of the proposal, MATCH Research Team will release the relevant password-protected databases to the Data User. The MATCH Research Team reserves the right to refuse to release specific variables. Note that some databases may have restrictions on their use.
7. Confidentiality
The MATCH Research Team has taken great care to protect the identity of participants and to safeguard their privacy and the confidentiality of the data they provided. Any secondary analyses undertaken using these data must also maintain the confidentiality of these data. To assure confidentiality, the data provided to Data Users will be stripped of all identifiers including original Name, name of Early Learning Centre, etc.
8. Data Security
The MATCH data set(s) must be stored in a password-protected location. Giving access to or sharing/transferring the database to individuals not named in the proposal, or using MATCH data for purposes not described in the approved “Request for MATCH Data Application Form” are considered by the MATCH Research Team as a serious and unacceptable breach of the agreement between the MATCH Research Team and the Data User and are strictly forbidden. If data are passed on to anyone not named in the application, or if data are used for purposes other than those described in the approved “Request for MATCH Data Application Form”, the MATCH Research Team will request the immediate return of the data, it will inform the Data User’s institution, and it will request that any publication emanating from use of the data be immediately withdrawn.
9. Need for Additional Variables
If the Data User needs variables that are not described in the approved proposal, they must submit a request by email to the MATCH Research Team explaining the need for new variables, what new analyses will be undertaken, and if this addition changes the timeline described in the original proposal.
10. Progress Reports
The MATCH Research Team may ask for brief progress reports periodically.
11. Date of Project Completion
Applicants must indicate a project completion data on the Data Request Application Form. If the expected publications, abstracts, or reports are not submitted to the MATCH Research Team by the completion date indicated, the data will revert to the MATCH Research Team and the topics on which the Data User has worked will become available for others to use. If applicable, Data Users may submit a request for extension of the project completion data to the MATCH Research team explaining why additional time is needed.
12. Final Report
Data Users must submit a short final report to the MATCH Research Team that lists all documents/products that have been produced (i.e. manuscripts, publications, reports abstracts, ppt presentations, etc). Copies of all project products must be included in the report.
13. Return of the Database and the code used to analyze the data
MATCH databases including the code used to analyze the data must be returned to the MATCH Research Team upon project completion (i.e. immediately upon publication of the manuscript emanating from the analysis). Databases and codes will be stored intact by the MATCH Research Team for five years after project completion.
14. Acknowledgements
All documents (manuscripts, reports, publications, abstracts, etc) emanating from the proposal must acknowledge the MATCH funding source as follows: “The data used in this analysis were drawn from the MATCH project, which was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Sport Canada through the joint Sport Participation Research Initiative and by the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation”.
15. New Analyses
Under no circumstances may Data Users conduct analyses outside the mandate of the approved project. If Data Users wish to conduct a new/different analysis or use data for reasons other than those described in the original proposal, they must submit a new proposal to the MATCH Research Team.
16. Data User Agreement Form
After approval of the proposal, all persons named in the proposal must sign the “Data User Agreement Form”.
17. Cost Recovery
Depending on the complexity of the request Data Users may be asked to pay for the preparation of databases (programming time).
18. Publication
Data users must submit final version of manuscripts to the MATCH Research Team for review before they are published. This is to assure that: (i) the numbers of subjects reported are consistent across publications; (ii) the variables are used in a comparable way across publications to the extent possible; and (iii) the MATCH Research team has seen and endorsed the publication before it goes to print. If there are questions or issues that arise, the MATCH team may ask for the programs used to analyze the data and may decide to re-analyze to data. If the Data User publishes data without approval, the MATCH team can withdraw or retract the publication from the journal.
19. Authorship
Data users are responsible for determining co-authors to include on any scientific communication based on MATCH data. However, given work involved in planning, preparing, and coordinating the MATCH study, it is expected that the contributions of the principal investigator of the MATCH study will be recognised through authorship on all publication and presentation of results emanating from the MATCH study. Data Users are also encouraged to consider inviting co-investigators of the MATCH Study to contribute as co-authors on their scientific communications. Data users should not hesitate to communicate with th e principle investigator to discuss authorship related questions.