Plot Serializer - A Tool for Creating FAIR Data for Scientific Figures

Michaela Leštáková  , Ning Xia, Julius Florstedt

To fight the reproducibility crisis in science, more and more researchers are adopting the practice of sharing their research data. However, making research data comprehensible and reusable for others often takes significant amount of time and effort. This software descriptor introduces Plot Serializer, a Python package for supporting researchers in creating FAIR datasets corresponding to the figures of their manuscript. Fitting into existing workflows, Plot Serializer enables effortless export of data plotted in scientific figures into interoperable datasets with customizable metadata for improved reusability and thus facilitates research data management practices. Besides a clear description of Plot Serializer's scope and functionality, a minimal example of its usage and output is given. Finally, its limitations and future plans are outlined.