WRDS - Wharton Research Data Services

example account request form :

from another guide

To get started using Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) you'll need to request an account.

Access to WRDS is available to UMass Lowell-affiliated faculty, students, and staff.

What is WRDS?

All faculty, students, and staff must submit a request to receive their individual username and password to access the WRDS search interface. Please follow instructions below.  

Note: it may take up to a full business day for WRDS to process your request for an account.

1. Go to the WRDS Registration page 
2. Fill out the account request form. Select the University of Massachusetts Lowell from the pull down menu and select the appropriate option for account type. Use your UML email address, not a gmail or other account.
3. Click the "SUBMIT" button.
4. You will receive your username and a link to set your password via email within a few days.

Your request will be forwarded to our UML WRDS representative, Khondkar Karim. If you have any questions or problems with registration, you may contact him by email at: Khondkar_Karim@uml.edu

All users must agree to the following WRDS terms of use:

Your institution and WRDS have entered into a legally binding contract. The Terms below highlight the guidelines for the User. Any violation of these terms may affect access to WRDS and the data for all users at your institution.

• Your use of the WRDS services is for academic and non-commercial research purposes only. Your use of the WRDS services is governed by and restricted under the Subscription Agreement between your host university or institution (the "Subscriber") and Wharton Research Data Services. You may not use data downloaded from the WRDS database for any non-academic or commercial endeavor.


• Your access to the WRDS database is governed by the Subscription Agreement between the Subscriber and Wharton Research Data Services. Individual WRDS accounts are offered to standing faculty, full-time research staff, and currently-enrolled Ph.D. students, full-time Masters students at Subscriber institutions. Access and individual accounts for research assistants, visiting scholars and other non-permanent faculty is offered at Wharton Research Data Service's discretion. Access by other types of students is limited to class accounts, in-library use accounts, and special IP authenticated services as provided by Wharton Research Data Services. Please note: Our WRDS policy prohibits undergraduate/Masters students from accessing WRDS during the extended break between semesters. Once the new semester begins, students will again be able to access their WRDS accounts.


• User shall not, and shall not attempt to or cause others to, sell, transfer, assign, publish, distribute, copy, sublicense, lease, permit, rent, disseminate, allow access to or convey the Service, or any portion, derivation, revision, or combination thereof, to any unauthorized person or third party. User shall not permit others to: (i) reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, or decrypt the Service or (ii) create, generate or compile the source code or the data records of the Service. The restriction described shall not apply to sample software programs that may be available for download through the Service, provided that such software programs are used solely for academic and/or research purposes.


• Users are bound by the following requirements upon leaving the institution or expiration of their WRDS account: (i) promptly destroy any and all machine-readable material containing any portion of the Service and any related documentation, (ii) expunge any and all documentation produced by WRDS that was accessed by Subscriber, (iii) cease accessing and using the Service.


• You must access the WRDS database by the method or methods prescribed by WRDS. These methods may include Access Pass, a system that enables WRDS to prevent unauthorized or inappropriate use of the WRDS database by requiring user authentication. Methods of permitted access may change from time to time.


• You must protect the confidentiality of your WRDS username and password. You may not reveal, disclose, transfer or share your username and password with anyone, including without limitation a co-author or other collaborator.   


• You will be prompted to reset your password on an annual basis.


• You may only have one designated and current affiliation. If you should have two affiliations, your most current affiliation will support the account for your WRDS access. You are not permitted to hold WRDS Accounts at separate institutions.


• You must notify Wharton Research Data Services within thirty (30) days of any changes in your affiliation with the Subscriber institution, including without limitation if you leave your current university or institution or change your affiliation in any manner. IF YOU ARE NO LONGER EMPLOYED AT A UNIVERSITY OR INSTITUTION THAT SUBSCRIBES TO WRDS, YOU MAY NOT ACCESS OR USE THE WRDS SERVICES. If your new university or institution is a then-current WRDS subscriber, Wharton Research Data Services will transfer your account and files to your new university's or institution's account. Your use and access to the WRDS services will then be subject to these Terms of Use and the Subscription Agreement between your new university or institution and Wharton Research Data Services . If your new university of institution is not a then-current WRDS subscriber, then you may not access or use the WRDS services.


• Your university or institution may place additional restrictions on your use of and access to the WRDS services. You must learn about and honor restrictions your university or institution may place on users of the WRDS services and any use of the licensed data that is accessed through the WRDS services.


• Your rights to access and/or use the WRDS services is subject to immediate suspension if there is any evidence of the misuse of your WRDS services account or username or password.   If a violation of this agreement is suspected, WRDS reserves the right to disable your account, at which time the WRDS Representative for your university will be notified.  Following an internal investigation, WRDS will determine whether the account may be reactivated or permanently disabled.  If the account is reactivated, the password must be reset.  


• WRDS and its third party data providers do not make any representations or guarantees about the accuracy or timeliness of the content. Due to the number of sources from which WRDS contents are obtained, and the inherent hazards of electronic distribution, there may be delays, omissions, or inaccuracies in the contents. Although the contents have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, they are provided to you on an "as is" basis without warranties of any kind. With respect to this service and the contents, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, WRDS and its third party data providers hereby disclaim all express, implied and statutory warranties of any kind to the user or any third party, including, but not limited to, representations and warranties regarding accuracy, timeliness, completeness, correctness, currentness, noninfringement, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose, or any representations or warranties arising from usage or custom or trade or by operation of law. WRDS, and its third party data providers, assume no responsibility for the consequences of any errors or omissions. In no event shall WRDS or any third party data provider or any of their licensors be liable to the user or to anyone else for any loss or injury caused in whole or in part by contingencies beyond their control or negligence in procuring, compiling, interpreting, editing, writing, reporting or delivering any content. In no event shall WRDS or any third party data provider or any of their licensors be liable to the user or anyone else for any claim arising out of or relating to WRDS-provided content, including, but not limited to, any decision made or action taken by you in reliance upon such content or for any types of damages (such as, but not limited to, direct, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or indirect damages), even if advised of the possibility of such damages.


• User agrees to place the following acknowledgement in all publications or other communications prepared using the WRDS services: “Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) was used in preparing ___________ [identify research piece]. This service and the data available thereon constitute valuable intellectual property and trade secrets of WRDS and/or its third-party suppliers.”


• To the extent there is any conflict between these Terms of Use and the Subscription Agreement governing your access and use of the WRDS services, the terms of the Subscription Agreement shall govern.