This AgReFed project is contributed by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI), Federation University.
Project summary
The AgReFed FAIR assessment tool is being developed by Federation University.
This tool can be used to assess the FAIRness of datasets against the AgReFed FAIR data assessment thresholds. It is an online tool that facilitates making datasets FAIRer by offering the following functionality:
It displays a form with the questions that a dataset custodian has to answer about a dataset and it includes contextual help and education materials related to each question.
It provides feedback about a dataset’s FAIRness in terms of AgReFed thresholds, indicating where minium, ideal and stretch standards have been achieved for each of the 14 questions in the assessment.
By providing optional fields for implementation status and user notes, it allows data custodians to generate a work list as part of an initial assessment.
Data custodians are expected to conduct an initial assessment of datasets. Where AgReFed minium FAIR standards are not met, these are identified. Subsequent assessments can be run on the same dataset, so that data custodians and the AgReFed data steward can see the improvements obtained.
Assessment results can be viewed and printed for reporting purposes.
The machine-readability of each dataset and its metadata is checked and results are displayed.
In addition, all assessments are recorded to support research activities within the AgReFed project, such as facilitating an analysis of the impact of the project.
Related publications
MacLeod, A, et al. 2020. The Agricultural Research Federation (AgReFed) Technical and Information Policy Suite. The Agricultural Research Federation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.3993784 
Bahlo, C. 2024. Advancing FAIR Agricultural Data: The AgReFed FAIR Assessment Tool. Data Science Journal, 23: 18, pp. 1–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-018
