Trust in Research Practices & Infrastructures

Abstract

The increasing complexity of digital research workflows raises questions about trust in research processes, results, and infrastructures. This study builds on philosophical concepts of trust to examine their relevance to research practices, particularly in relation to data, tools, services, and open-source software. We explore how trust influences sharing and reuse, the perception of quality indicators, and the development of trustworthy infrastructures. Two exploratory approaches were employed: a survey among data scientists in open-source software, and twelve semi-structured interviews with researchers from various disciplines focusing on trust in data quality. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using inductive coding supported by ATLAS.ti. Findings reveal a consistent gap between research ideals and practice. While researchers recognize the importance of verifying the fitness for purpose for reused resources, time constraints often lead them to rely on proxies such as documentation and source reputation. Trust is closely tied to institutional affiliation, peer review, and ethical standards, indicating that reputation and adherence to ethical codes influence perceptions of trustworthiness. The results also highlight the need for mechanisms to assess and communicate trustworthiness especially in dynamic and interdisciplinary contexts. Questions arise about integrating such mechanisms into research infrastructures, including standards for documentation, compliance monitoring, and responses to violations. This work lays the foundation for future research on institutional and technical processes that can foster trust and trustworthiness in the development and use of digital research infrastructures.