LibGuides: Research Data Management: Why Manage Research Data?

What is Research Data?

"The data, records, files or other evidence, irrespective of their content or form (e.g. in print, digital, physical or other forms), that comprise research observations, findings or outcomes, including primary materials and analysed data.” (Australian National Data Service)

Examples:

•Statistics and measurements

•Results of experiments or simulations

•Observations e.g. fieldwork

•Survey results – print or online

•Interview recordings and transcripts

•Images, from cameras and scientific equipment

Data should be managed to:

Facilitate Data reuse/sharing, Improve Data quality/Research transparency, provide long term access & preservation of Data.

If you don't: you may be vulnerable through:

hardware/software failure, obsolescence, human error, staff changes, legal problems, institutional policy changes, malicious attacks.

Data is expensive to produce and worth protecting !

Why Manage Research Data?

Research funder policies
- Publicly funded research should be available
- Open data agenda
Good Research Practice
- Good data management is good for research
- Avoid data loss and improve data security
- Benefits of data reuse
- The evidence underpinning research findings should be available for validation
- Research efficiency in managing files and data
Online sharing dissemination of data
- Increased impact of research
- Secondary data use
Improved oversight by Institutions of Research output and value

What is Research Data Management

Research data management is concerned with how data is organised at all stages of the research cycle, from the initial generation of data through to its dissemination and archiving as the research is completed. It is concerned with how the data is created, organised,stored and made available to other researchers.

The management of Research Data is a important part of the research process and is also in many cases a requirement by Academic Institutions and Funders.

Research Data Lifecycle

Research Support Librarian

Ciaran Quinn

Email Me

Contact:

Maynooth University Library

01 7086151

The what, how and why of research data management

Resources

UK Data Service
Data created from research are valuable resources that can be used and reused for future scientific and educational purposes.

Good data management practices are essential in research, to make sure that research data are of high quality, are well organised, documented, preserved and accessible and their validity controlled at all times. This results in efficient and excelling research. Well managed data are easily shared and can thus be used for new research or to duplicate and validate existing research.

Data management needs to be planned early on in research, so that practices can be implemented throughout the research cycle.