Data & Indicators
Publishing data alongside the report
· Dr Clara Bönisch
When we publish a study, we publish the indicators behind it. The dataset carries the same permalink as the report and is licensed CC BY 4.0, so it can be reused with attribution.
What open data provides
- Reproducibility. A reader can rebuild a chart and check that it says what we say it does.
- Reuse. The series can be combined with others we never anticipated.
- Correction. Errors are found faster when the data is visible.
What it does not
Open data is a condition for trust, not a substitute for judgement. A clean, well-documented dataset can still support a weak inference. The methods note, not the download, is where the argument stands or falls.
Each release states its unit of observation, coverage and known gaps, and carries a suggested citation. We version the files so that a chart published today can still be reproduced when the series is next updated.