Art Credit to Open Government Partnership Summit
Open data is data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone - subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike. - Open Data Handbook
Data is the collected values or facts that may be interpreted and allow insight into a particular topic. Data can be qualitative or quantitative but ultimately it's purpose is to explain or explore ideas and issues. For that reason, data can be extremely valuable to a wide range of people and entities. Open data is a term to categorize data that is openly accessible, freely used, re-used, modifiable, and can be redistributed; sometimes with the condition of attribution.
Open data is one of the principles of open science, a term interchangeable with open research or open scholarship. Open science is the movement to make scientific research accessible to all levels of society. The open science movement arose out of the demand and desire from researchers to have access to shared resources opposing the concept that individuals should profit when others use their resources. Other principles include: open methodology, open source, open access, open peer review, open educational resources, open engagement, and openness to diversity of knowledge.
Why should I care about open data?
Open data can be a great resource, especially if the source is a government entity. Since government data tends to be public data, government agencies tend to be the greatest contributor. A wide variety of people and groups can benefit from open data, including the publishers themselves. The open data handbook lists the advantages of open data to be:
The open data movement has even changed the way research is funded and conducted. Research grants are requiring more detailed data management plans and applicants consent to ensuring their work research is open access. Please see the Funding Guidelines page to keep up to date with any applicable policies.
The Open Science Research Lifecycle
Open science reduces waste and accelerates the discovery of knowledge, solutions, and cures for the world's most pressing needs. Shifting research culture toward greater openness, transparency, and reproducibility is challenging, but there are incremental steps at every stage of the research lifecycle that can improve rigor and reduce waste.
Video Credit: Center for Open Science