Research data management is a general term covering how you organize, structure, store, and care for the information used or generated during a research project. It includes:
- Planning how your data will be looked after – many funders now require data management plans as part of applications
- How you deal with information on a day-to-day basis over the lifetime of a project
- What happens to data in the longer term – what you do with it after the project concludes
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Definition of data
The University of Oxford Policy on the Management of Data Supporting Research Outputs uses the following definition for data:
“the recorded information (regardless of the form or the media in which it may exist) necessary to support or validate a research project’s observations, findings or outputs, or which is required for legal or regulatory compliance“.
In practice, the nature of research data can vary widely depending on discipline: it can be textual, numerical, qualitative, quantitative, final, preliminary, physical, digital or print.
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Benefits of research data management
Data management is a key part of responsible research. Good practice in managing your data will ensure benefits ensue for you, your fellow researchers and the wider public.
- Funding and regulatory body requirements are met.
- Research data remains accurate, authentic, reliable and complete.
- Duplication of effort is kept to a minimum.
- Research data keeps its integrity and research results may be replicated.
- Data security is enhanced, thus minimising the risk of data loss.
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Additional information
- Research Data Explained is a module from the interactive online training course MANTRA, giving an introduction to research data management.
- What is Data? (And Why You Should Care) is a brief introductory PowerPoint presentation.
