Definitions

Updated: October 7, 2025

Accept/Acceptance.: A conclusion by Dryad Curation personnel that a Dataset is suitable for Dataset Publication.
Administration Fee.: The fee charged to unsponsored authors who request an invoice for the payment of their Data Publication Charge.
Annual Service Fee.: The annual fee for service paid by Dryad partners as set forth in the Fee Schedule based on tiers.
CC0 (CC Zero).: A universal instrument used to waive copyright and database rights to the extent an individual may possess these rights in their work under the laws of at least one jurisdiction, even if the work is free of restrictions in others.
Curation.: Human evaluation to ensure data is accessible, usable, and appropriate and licensed for open sharing.
Dataset.: A package of metadata and files related to one course of investigation. Datasets may or may not be submitted alongside a manuscript or published article but are usually defined by the research narrative. They can include various file types and sizes. Dryad assigns a unique DOI to each dataset.
Data Publication Volume.: The volume of Datasets available to a partner based on their applicable Data Publishing Charge tier.
Data Publishing Charge (DPC).: The fee to publish data, which may be billed to the unsponsored author (for individual datasets) or to the Sponsor (datasets published each year) as set forth in the Fee Schedule based on tiers.
Dryad Community.: All partners, supporters, researchers, and engaged authors.
Dryad Governing Documents.: Dryad’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Dryad Infrastructure and Services.: All Dryad’s functions and offerings, including associated systems, hardware, software, interface and know-how.
End User.: Submitters and Users collectively.
End User Terms of Service.: The terms and conditions applicable to End Users.
Fees.: Collectively, the applicable Annual Service Fees, Data Publishing Charges, and any Large Data Fees, all as detailed in the Fee Schedule.
Identifiers.: Persistent identifiers such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs).
Large Data Fee.: The fee charged for larger Datasets, as set out in the Fee Schedule based on tiers by size. Large Data Fees may be incurred at the point of initial Dataset Submission or following a Versioning of the Dataset.
Metadata.: Information describing a Dataset.
Partner.: An entity that has executed a Dryad Partnership Agreement/the fact of being a Dryad partner.
Partnership Agreement.: An agreement between an entity and Dryad, including the Partner Terms, that governs the access to and use of the Dryad Infrastructure and Services by the Partner’s affiliated researchers.
Publish/Publication.: The public distribution of a Dataset on the Dryad Website under a CC0 instrument.
Private for Peer Review.: A service through which Dryad makes the Dataset private to peer reviewers while they consider a related manuscript.
Private for Peer Review Fee.: A one-time fee for Datasets to be held in Private for Peer Review status.
Processing/In Process.: The curation and assessment process performed by Dryad before Dataset Publication.
Processing Fee.: The applicable fee for post-termination Dataset Processing as further described in the Partner Agreement.
Research Data.: The information or materials collected, observed or created to validate, reproduce or better understand research findings.
Scholarly Publication.: Publications related to scholarly research such as, but not limited to, a research article in a scholarly journal, preprint, a book, chapter, conference proceedings, monograph or dissertation.
Sponsor.: The act of covering the Data Publishing Charge for the Submitter, usually through a Partnership Agreement.
Sponsored author.: An author whose Data Publishing Charges are covered by a Dryad Partner.
Submission Integration.: The process whereby a Submission to Dryad is coordinated with the manuscript processing system of a Scholarly Publication.
Submit/Submission.: The depositing of a Dataset on the Dryad Website/a Dataset so deposited.
Submitter.: The individual who Submits a Dataset to the Dryad Website.
Terms of Service.: The terms and conditions applicable to Partner entities.
Unsponsored author.: An author whose Data Publishing Charges are not covered by a Dryad Partner.
User.: An individual who views, downloads or otherwise reuses Datasets from the Dryad Website.
Version/Versioning.: Updates to Datasets after Publication to correct errors in the Published files or to provide additional data supporting the findings.
Waiver.: A waiver of fees to Publish a Dataset to the Dryad Website that may be granted to a Submitter.
Website.: Dryad’s website, datadryad.org.