Data Availability and Research Materials Policy

The Global South Journal of Applied Research (GSJAR) encourages transparent and responsible availability of the data, materials, instruments, code and documentation necessary to understand and, where feasible, verify published research.

Every empirical article should contain a Data Availability Statement explaining whether the supporting data are openly available, available through a repository, available from the corresponding author under stated conditions, subject to controlled access, or unavailable for ethical, legal, contractual or privacy reasons.

Authors should deposit non-sensitive data, code and supporting materials in a trusted repository when reasonably possible. Repository records should include sufficient documentation, metadata and a persistent identifier where available.

Open sharing is not required when it would violate participant consent, privacy, confidentiality, indigenous data governance, legal duties, security requirements, intellectual-property rights or legitimate contractual restrictions. Authors must explain such limitations without disclosing protected information.

“Available upon reasonable request” should be used only where a workable process exists. The author should explain relevant conditions, responsible contact and any approval requirements.

Authors must retain source data and essential records for a period appropriate to their discipline, institution, funder and legal environment. The journal may request data or documentation when questions arise concerning reliability, analysis, ethics or misconduct.

Failure to provide evidence necessary to evaluate serious integrity concerns may affect editorial decisions or lead to post-publication action.

Data citation should recognise creators and repositories. Secondary data must be used consistently with applicable permissions, licences and ethical requirements.