An introduction to managing

research data
Jenni Crossley
Research Librarian
20th November 2014

My research data is:

0%
al
at

d
ac

ke
d

ou
l
on
ce
,c
up

ck
ed
Ba

up

rl.
.
fa
i
an
d

ice
tw
up

ck
ed
Ba

0%
be
...

e.
..
t im
t3
as
le
at
up
ck
ed
Ba

0%

0%

No
tb

A. Backed up at least 3
times and very safe
B. Backed up twice and
fairly safe
C. Backed up once,
could be safer
D. Not backed up at all

I can find my research data

ye

ith

er
No
tv

0%

0%

al
ly
gr
ea
n.
..
td
iff
ic u
lt y
,w
ha
...

as
ily

,I

ut
m
,b
sil
y

ea
ite
Qu

re

yf
ili

w
a
ve
ha
,I
sil
y
ea
ly
al
Re

0%
ng
...

el
...

0%

A. Really easily, I have a

well thought out filing
system
B. Quite easily, but my
filing system could be
better
C. Not very easily, I really
need to improve my
filing system
D. With great difficulty,
what's a filing system?

The amount of research data I will

produce

..
ed
er

en

co

be
no
tb

ee
n

lly
ea

0%

ns
id

,b
ut
er
ed

0%

co
ns
.. .

..

0%

no
tr
Ha
s

en
be
Ha
s

Ha
s

be

en

el

lc

co
ns
id

on
s id
er

ed
;..

0%

Ha
s

A. Has been well

considered; I have a
good idea how much
storage I will need
B. Has been considered,
but is unlcear at this
point
C. Has not really been
considered. Is this
important?
D. Has not been
considered at all

In terms of sharing my data

ed
?
ha
r
es
ab

da
t

kn
do
n'
t
y

ea
ll
Ir

0%

...
w
ow

ha
w
w

Ik
no
nk

It
hi

0%
ha
t

tc
an

n.
.
or
ca
n
an
tc
ha
w
no
w
Ik

0%
..

0%

Ca
n

A. I know what can or

cannot be shared
B. I think I know what
can or cannot be
shared
C. I really don't know
what can or cannot
be shared
D. Can data be shared?

In terms of data ownership

ns
...
ho

ea
w
id
e

no

al
re
no
t
I'm

0%

ow

...
ho

ly

su
re

ho

0%

kn
..
tI
It
hi

nk

Ik
no

en
tt
ha
nf
id
co
m
Ia

0%

ow
ns
. ..

0%

Ih
av

A. I am confident that I
know who owns the
data I work with
B. I think I know who owns
the data I work with
C. I'm not really sure who
owns the data I work
with
D. I have no idea who
owns the data I work
with

I know what will happen to my data at

the end of my project

d
co
ns
id

ed

en

ns
id
er
It
h

as

no
t

co
be
en

It'
s

0%
er
e

.
ut
..
,b

fo
r
n
pl
a
ag
ue

av
is
er
e
Th

0%

be

...
an
pl
cle
ar
a
is
re
,t
he

0%
.. .

0%

Ye
s

A. Yes, there is a clear

plan for this
B. There is a vague plan
for this
C. It's been considered,
but there is no plan
for this yet
D. It has not been
considered

What does data mean to you?

Weather measurements
Photographs
Results from experiments
Government records
GIS data
Simulation data
Log data
Field notes
Software

Images (e.g. brain scans)

Quantitative data (e.g.
household survey data)
Historical documents
Moving images
Physical objects: such as
bones or blood samples
Digitised photos / born
digital photos
Social media data: tweets
Metadata

Learning material produced by RDMRose http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose

Research data a definition

Research data are collected, observed or
created for the purpose of analysis, to
produce and validate original research results.
Can be either digital or analogue.

Stuff!

Defining research data management

the active management and appraisal of data
over the lifecycle of scholarly and scientific
interest
Research data management concerns the
organisation of data, from its entry to the
research cycle through to the dissemination
and archiving of valuable results. (Whyte &
Tedds, 2011)

Defining research data management

Not just archiving, preserving, or sharing
although that might be the end game
Good RDM starts before a project, and
continues after the lifespan of the initial work

Data management plans

Why should I manage my research

data?
Research data is a valuable asset.
Without your data you have no project.
What would you do
if you lost your
research data
tomorrow?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnbullas/61631745/

Research data management can:

Prevent data loss
Make it easier to locate your data
Help with validation of results and
demonstrate research integrity
Offer collaboration through data re-use and
sharing
Is part of good research practice!

And also
The nature of research governance and
communication is changing:

Funder requirements
Publishers
Open access underpinned by data
Not unique to UWE

What does the research lifecycle look

like?
Write proposal
Validate

Start project

Acquire
sample

Publish

Generate,
Interpret

Create,
Collect

Analyze

Process

Research360

What does a data management cycle

look like?

Data Curation
Centre

And a slightly simplified version

5.
Preservation
& Re-Use

1.
Create

4.
Publication
& Deposit

2.
Active Use

3.
Documentation

What does this mean?

That you need to plan!
Make informed decisions
Anticipate problems
Make your life easier

Creating a data management plan

Start with a brief plan written at the start of your
project to define:

how your data will be created

how it will be documented
who will access it
where it will be stored
who will back it up
whether (and how) it will be shared & preserved

DMPs are often submitted as part of grant applications,

but are useful whenever youre creating data.

What to include
1. What data will you produce?
2. How will you organise / look after the data?

3. Can you / others understand the data?

4. What data will be deposited and where?
5. Who will be interested in re-using the data?

1. What data will you produce?

5.
Preservation
& Re-Use

1.
Create

What type of data will you

produce?
What types of file format?
How easy is it to create or
reproduce?

4.
Publication
& Deposit

2.
Active Use

3.
Documentation

Who owns and is responsible

for it?

2. How will you look after the data?

5.
Preservation
& Re-Use

1.
Create

Is your data safe?

Is your data
organised?
4.
Publication
& Deposit

2.
Active Use

3.
Documentation

Can you find your

data?

3. How will you document the data?

5.
Preservation
& Re-Use

4.
Publication
& Deposit

1.
Create

2.
Active Use

3.
Documentation

Do you still understand

your older work?
Is the file structure /
naming
understandable to
others?
Which data will be kept?
Which data can be
discarded?

4. What data will be deposited and where?

Are you expected to share
your data?
5.
Preservation
& Re-Use

4.
Publication
& Deposit

1.
Create

2.
Active Use

3.
Documentation

Are you allowed to share

your data?
Define the core data set of
the project
Which data will be included
in your publication /
thesis?

5. Preservation and Re-use

5.
Preservation
& Re-Use

1.
Create

How long will your data be

reusable for?
Do you need to prepare your
data for long term
archive?

4.
Publication
& Deposit

2.
Active Use

3.
Documentation

Which data do you need to

keep?

Tips for writing DMPs

Seek advice - consult and collaborate

Consider good practice for your field
Base plans on available skills & support and
Make sure implementation is feasible
Decide who will implement the plan and
then make sure it happens
Decide how often, and by whom, the plan will
be reviewed

An activity
Think about a project with which you are
currently involved
Considering what you have heard, try to
answer the questions on the sample data
management plan
Use UWE guidance to help:
http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/library/usingthelibrary/re
searchers/manageresearchdata/managingresearc
hdata/guidance.aspx

Final thoughts
This is only a brief introduction
Data management is a journey
Start with your plan, you might have to re-route

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbBa6Oa
m7-w

Acknowledgement
Some content for this sessions has been taken from two projects
which have developed DMP resources for PhD students:

DataTrain
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/preservation/datatrain
Research360
http://blogs.bath.ac.uk/research360/category/training

Sources of guidance
ICPSR framework for a data management plan
www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/content/datamanagement/dmp/f
ramework.html
How to develop a data management and sharing plan
www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/how-guides/develop-data-plan
UWE Managing research data guidance
http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/library/usingthelibrary/researchers/man
ageresearchdata/managingresearchdata/guidance.aspx