LibGuides: Research Data Services: About Research Data Management

Introduction to RDM

Wondering what exactly research data management is, and what it entails?

This brief video introduces you to the data lifecycle and the importance of research data management. Further information can be found on our Open Science Framework page.

Research Data Management

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 (CASRAI-CA).

Good data management helps you:

Meet requirements and expectations set by funding agencies, publishers and domain associations
Ensure that your data is complete, documented, and accessible to you and to future researchers
Encourage the discovery and reuse of your data to further discoveries in your field of research
Raise the profile and recognition of your research.
Receive credit for your data and increase its impact and visibility

Research Data Lifecycle

The lifecycle of research data often exceeds the time span of the research project responsible for creating it. It is important that data are well managed and curated over the course of a research project in terms of their organization, description, and preservation, so that they can be reused in future research over the long term.

This video reviews the key stages of the research data lifecycle (UK Data Service).

Tutorials

Consider one of these recommended resources to learn more about research data management:

Research Data Management Data Guide v.5.1 (University of British Columbia)

A comprehensive guide for Canadian researchers, which addresses the basics of data management plans, metadata and data organization, data storage and security, and data sharing and re-use.

Research Data Management 101 (Portage Network)

A set of four online modules covering the basics of research data management, the research data lifecycle and current Canadian policy.

MANTRA Online Modules (University of Edinburgh)

Self-directed online modules providing an introduction to research data, data management plans, organizing data, file formats and transformation, documentation and metadata, storage and security, and more.

Research Data Management Toolkit (JISC)

An online guide directing researchers, IT specialists, and those in research support roles to a wide range of research data management resources, sorted according to topic and audience.