Data Availability and Reproducibility Policy

Al-Rafidain Dental Journal (RDENTJ) promotes transparency, reproducibility, and scientific integrity. Authors are encouraged to make underlying data available whenever possible, following COPE Core Practices, ICMJE recommendations, and FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).

  1. Data Availability Statement (DAS)

All original research articles must include a Data Availability Statement describing where supporting data can be accessed or explaining why it cannot be shared.

Examples of acceptable DAS formats:

“The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in [repository name] at [DOI or URL].”

“All relevant data are included within the article and supplementary files.”

“The datasets are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

“Data cannot be shared due to ethical or privacy constraints.”

  1. Reproducibility Standards

For laboratory or experimental studies, authors should:

Provide sufficient method details to allow replication

Disclose protocols, instruments, and material sources

Specify statistical software and versions

Reference pre-registered protocols or analysis plans, if applicable

  1. Ethical and Legal Considerations

If data sharing is restricted, authors must:

Explain the reason for restrictions (e.g., patient confidentiality, institutional policies)

Ensure data retention and handling comply with local and international ethics guidelines