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Graduate Research Portal: Managing Data

Library-based support for University of Lethbridge graduate students

Research Data Management

The Canadian Tri-Council Funding Agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR)are proposing to coordinate requirements for research data management(RDM)resulting from publicly-funded publicly research and to make such research data openly accessible. It is expected these changes will take effect in mid- to late-2015.

There is work in progress to develop a university response to this issue and it includes the Library, the Office of Research and Innovation Services (ORIS) and other units as the response becomes more defined.

For any advice or assistance meeting your research data management requirements, please feel free to contact yoursubject liaison librarian.

See also: Research and Data Management @ U of L

What is Research Data Management

According to Research Data Canada, research data management "refers to the storage, access and preservation of data produced from a given investigation. Data management practices cover the entire lifecycle of the data, from planning the investigation to conducting it, and from backing up data as it is created and used to long term preservation of data deliverables after the research investigation has concluded."

Many issues and activities fall within the realm of data management that are worth taking note of.  Examples include:

  • "file naming (the proper way to name computer files);
  • data quality control and quality assurance;
  • data access;
  • data documentation (including levels of uncertainty);
  • metadata creation and controlled vocabularies;
  • data storage;
  • data archiving & preservation;
  • data sharing and re-use; data integrity;
  • data security; data privacy;
  • data rights; and
  • notebook protocols (lab or field)".

Work Cited

"Glossary | Research Data Canada." Research Data Canada | Données de Recherche Canada. Research Data Canada | Données de Recherche Canada. n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

Why is Research Data Management Important?

Among the many reasons why it is important to properly manage your research data are compliance with the Canadian Tri-Council funding ggencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR), improving research efficiency and furthering U of L's aspiration to remain a highly regarded comprehensive research university.

The Canadian Tri-Council funding agencies propose that research data produced as a result of publicly-funded research be made openly available to anyone with an interest in viewing and using it.  Learning about and following appropriate research data management protocols and procedures will assist you and other researchers to transition to the anticipated new requirements.

A significant benefit of properly managed research data is improved efficiency of current as well as future research. Organizing your data organized in a standardized, efficient way makes it easier for fellow researchers to examine, verify, reuse or build upon it (and vice versa). Well organized, properly stored data also greatly reduces risks of accidental or malicious data loss.  A 2013 study by Vines et al., suggests 80% of scientific research data is lost within 20 years of creation, mostly as a result of broken emails and obsolete storage devices.

Work Cited

Writing the Research Data Management Plan

Tools are available to help you create a plan to manage your research data.  See the Libguide page on Research Data Management Plans for more information.