This document, created by the UK Data Archive, gives researchers an overview of the best practices involved in data management for long-term, accessible data storage, protection and archive.
Extract
"Whilst good data management is fundamental for high quality research data and therefore research excellence, it is crucial for facilitating data sharing and ensuring the sustainability and accessibility of data in the long-term and therefore their re-use for future science.
If research data are well organised, documented, preserved and accessible, and their accuracy and validity is controlled at all times, the result is high quality data, efficient research, findings based on solid evidence and the saving of time and resources. Researchers themselves benefit greatly from good data management. It should be planned before research starts and may not necessarily incur much additional time or costs if it is engrained in standard research practice." (Van den Eynden et al. 2011, p. 1)
Contents
- Endorsements iii
- Forward 1
- Sharing your data - why and how 2
- Why share research data 3
- How to share your data 4
- Data management planning 5
- Roles and responsibilities 7
- Costing data management 7
- Documenting your data 8
- Data documentation 9
- Metadata 10
- Formatting your data 11
- File formats 12
- Data conversions 13
- Organising files and folders 13
- Quality assurance 14
- Version control and authenticity 14
- Transcription 15
- Storing your data 17
- Making back-ups 18
- Data storage 18
- Data security 19
- Data transmission and encryption 20
- Data disposal 21
- File sharing and collaborative environments 21
- Ethics and consent 22
- Legal and ethical issues 23
- Informed consent and data sharing 23
- Anonymising data 26
- Access control 27
- Copyright 28
- Strategies for centres 31
- Data management resources library 32
- Data inventory 33
- References 34
- Data management checklist 35
Sources
Van den Eynden, V., Corti, L., Woolard, M., Bishop, L. and Horton, L. (2011). Managing and sharing data: Best practice for researchers. UK Data Archive, University of Essex: Essex.
'UK Data Archive: Managing and Sharing Data' is referenced in:
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