Content of review 1, reviewed on February 07, 2013
This data paper describes a dataset with 10 subjects’ worth of fMRI data across two sessions, for the purposes of assessment of test-retest reliability. This dataset could certainly be of use to researchers, and I applaud the investigators’ desire to share it.
Major compulsory revisions:
My primary concern is that the current release of the dataset does not provide the information necessary for someone to actually use it. The task paradigms and timing are not described sufficiently for another researcher to easily create a statistical model. The behavioral data files in principle contain this information, but they are not described well enough for a third party to actually use them. I would suggest that the authors instead include a standard set of onset timing files, which will be necessary for the creation of a statistical model in almost any software package. The authors should consider using a metadata framework similar to the one used for shared data in the OpenFMRI project (www.openfmri.org), which is meant to explicitly address the issue raised above.
The authors should also ensure that their description contains all of the necessary information regarding the dataset. This includes the minimum information outlined by Poldrack et al. (2008) as well as the MR-specific guidelines laid out more recently at http://practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-checklist-for-fmri-acquisition.html .
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a statistician.
Declaration of competing interests: I declare that I have no competing interests
Source
Content of review 2, reviewed on March 27, 2013
The authors have addressed all of my previous concerns.
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a statistician.
Declaration of competing interests: I declare that I have no competing interests