This slideshow was used in an Introduction to Research Data Management course taught for the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division, University of Oxford, on 2016-02-03. It provides an overview of some key issues, looking at both day-to-day data management, and longer term issues, including sharing, and curation.

1. Introduction to Research Data
Management
Slides provided by the Research Support
Team, IT Services, University of Oxford

2. What is data?
“A reinterpretable representation of information in a formalized
manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing.”
Digital Curation Centre
Introduction to research
data management
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project

3. What is data?
Any information you use in your
research
Introduction to research
data management
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project

4. What is research data management?
Storage
Organizing
Preservation
Documenting
Sharing
Choosing
technology
Versioning
Structuring
Backing up
Curation
Security
Introduction to research
data management

5. Carrots and sticks
 Work efficiently and
with minimum hassle
over the lifetime of the
project
 Save time and avoid
problems in the future
 Make it easy to share
your data
 Requirements from
funders, University of
Oxford, and others
Introduction to research
data management

6. Data requirements
 Did you discover any?
 University of Oxford Policy on the Management
of Research Data and Records
 Funding body requirements
 Data statement in publications
 Data made available for reuse
Introduction to research
data management

7. University of Oxford policy
Introduced July 2012
Introduction to research
data management

8. University of Oxford policy
 The full policy can be viewed on the Research
Data Oxford website
 Covers the information needed ‘to support or
validate a research project’s observations, findings
or outputs’
 Research data should be:
 Accurate, complete, identifiable,
retrievable, and securely stored
 Able to be made available to others
Introduction to research
data management

9. University of Oxford policy
 Research data should be retained for ‘as long as they
are of continuing value to the researcher and the wider
research community’ – but a minimum of three years
 Specific requirements from funders take precedence
 Researchers are responsible for:
 Developing and documenting clear data management
procedures
 Planning for the ongoing custodianship of their data
 Ensuring legal, ethical, and funder requirements are met
 Policy applies to University staff and doctoral students
Introduction to research
data management

10. Funders’ requirements
 Funding bodies are taking an increasing
interest in what happens to research data
 Many require a data management plan as part
of grant applications
 RDO website provides
a summary of requirements
Introduction to research
data management

11. RCUK Common Principles on Data Policy
“Publicly funded research data are a public
good, produced in the public interest, which
should be made openly available with as few
restrictions as possible in a timely and
responsible manner”
Introduction to research
data management
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/
research/datapolicy/

12. RCUK Common Principles on Data Policy
 Data with long-term value should be preserved for reuse
 Sufficient metadata should be recorded
 Published results should include information on how to
access the supporting data
 Legal, ethical and commercial constraints recognised
 A period of privileged use is permitted to enable
researchers to publish results
 Appropriate to use public
funds for data management
and sharing
Introduction to research
data management

13. EPSRC requirements
 EPSRC Policy Framework on Research Data
implemented in 2011
 Key requirements came into force in May 2015
 Papers must state how underlying
data can be accessed
 Data must be appropriately
preserved for at least ten years
 Further details on the RDO site
Introduction to research
data management

14. DAY-TO-DAY DATA
MANAGEMENT
Introduction to research
data management

15. Introduction to research
data management
‘What a mess’ by .pst, via Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/psteichen/3915657914/.
Can you find what you
need, when you need it?
Once you’ve found it, will
it be clear what it is?

16. A gift to your future self – standard working
practices
 Set these up as early as possible in a project
 Clear structure for storing files
 File naming conventions
 Version information
 Document practices for future
reference
 Particularly important for teams
Introduction to research
data management

17. Managing files
 Add tags to files to aid searchability
 Search can be faster than hunting through folders
 Use hyperlinks to link files to each other
 Use shortcuts to avoid duplicating files
 Use file names to order files in a
folder, or to record version information
 Reassess your structure periodically
 Move unused items to an archive folder
Introduction to research
data management

18. Introduction to research
data management

19. Introduction to research
data management
Image from http://osxdaily.com/2013/11/19/remove-tags-files-folders-mac-os-x/

20. Are you using the right tools for the job?
 Take time to assess whether your current
software and methods are meeting your needs
 Sticking with old familiars can
be false economy
 Ask friends and colleagues
for recommendations
Introduction to research
data management

21. Research Skills Toolkit
 Website and hands-
on workshops
 A guide to software,
University services,
and other tools and
resources for
research
Introduction to research
data management
http://www.skillstoolkit.ox.ac.uk/

22. IT Learning Programme
 Over 200 different IT
courses
 Covering software, skills,
and new technologies
 ITLP Portfolio offers
course materials and
other resources
Introduction to research
data management
http://portfolio.it.ox.ac.uk/
http://courses.it.ox.ac.uk/

23. ORDS – Online Research Database
Service
 Specifically designed for academic research data
 Create, edit, search, and share databases online
 Cloud-hosted and automatically backed up
 Designed to make key tasks straightforward
 Collaboration
 Publishing datasets
 Archiving data at end of project
 http://ords.ox.ac.uk/
Introduction to research
data management

24. KEEPING YOUR DATA SAFE
Introduction to research
data management

25. http://blogs.ch.cam.ac.uk/pmr/2011/08/01/why-you-need-a-data-management-plan/
Backing up is
easier than
replacing
lost data…
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project
Introduction to research
data management

26. Make multiple copies…
…and keep them in different places
Automate the
process if you can
Introduction to research
data management
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project

27. Think about your storage media…
Introduction to research
data management
… and about file formats
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project

28. IT Services: Data back-up on the HFS
 HFS is Oxford’s central back-up and archiving
service
 Free of charge to University staff and
postgraduates
 Automated back-ups of machines connected to
University network
 Copies kept in multiple places
 http://www.it.ox.ac.uk/hfs
Introduction to research
data management

29. File syncing
 If you work on
multiple devices,
consider file syncing
software
 Always have the
latest copy of your
files available
 But be careful with
sensitive data
Introduction to research
data management

30. Data security
 If you’re working with sensitive data, it’s
essential to ensure that every copy kept has
appropriate security
 InfoSec at IT Services can provide advice
 https://www.infosec.ox.ac.uk/
Introduction to research
data management

31. DOCUMENTATION AND
METADATA
Introduction to research
data management

32. Documentation and metadata
 The contextual information required to make
data intelligible and aid interpretation
 A users’ guide to your data
 For whole datasets, or specific aspects
 Metadata sometimes refers to more structured
information
 Designed to be machine readable
Introduction to research
data management

33. Make material understandable
What’s obvious
now might not
be in a few
months, years,
decades…
Adapted from ‘Clay Tablets with Linear B Script’ by Dennis, via Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/5692813531/
MAKE SURE
YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND
IT LATER
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project
Introduction to research
data management

34. Make material verifiable and reusable
• Detailing methods helps
people understand what
you did
• And helps make your
work reproducible
• Provide context to
minimize the risk of
misunderstanding or
misuse
Image by woodleywonderworks , via Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/4588700881/
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project
Introduction to research
data management

35. Introduction to research
data management

36. Exercise
 Imagine you have just downloaded this dataset from an
archive
 What contextual or explanatory information is missing?
 Anything odd about the data that needs clarifying?
 What additional documentation
would you like to see supplied
 For the dataset as a whole?
 For specific aspects of it?
Introduction to research
data management

37. • Who created it, when and why
• Description of the item
• Methodology and methods
• Units of measurement
• Definitions of jargon,
acronyms and code
• References to related data
Documentation – what to include
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project
Introduction to research
data management

38. Metadata – data about data
 A formal,
structured
description
of a dataset
 Used by
archives
to create
catalogue
records
Introduction to research
data management

39. ISA tools software suite
Introduction to research
data management
http://isa-tools.org/
Open source
metadata
tracking tools
for the life
sciences

40. Missing metadata – or the riddle of the
sixth toe
 This painting shows
Georgiana, Duchess of
Devonshire as Diana
 … or maybe Cynthia
 She has six toes – but
no one knows why
Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Georgiana_Cavendish,_Duchess_of_Devonshire_as_Diana.jpg
Introduction to research
data management

41. For discussion
 What data management
challenges have you
encountered?
 What strategies have you
personally found useful?
 Be ready to feed back to
the group
Introduction to research
data management

42. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END
OF THE PROJECT?
Introduction to research
data management

43. Video by NYU Health Sciences Libraries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2zK3sAtr-4
Introduction to research
data management

44. Long-term data management
 Key issues are preservation and sharing
 What needs to be preserved to validate your
research outputs?
 What does your funder require?
 Is there anything you’re obliged to destroy?
 What might have reuse value?
 Can you make any or all of your data
available for use by other researchers?
Introduction to research
data management

45. Why share data? Reputation
 Get credit for high quality
research
 Recognition for contribution
to research community
 Open data leads to increased
citations
 Of the data itself
 Of associated papers
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project
Introduction to research
data management

46. Why share data? Reuse
 Reduces duplication of
effort
 Allows public research
funding to be used more
effectively
 Use in contexts not
currently envisaged
 Extend research beyond
your discipline
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project
Introduction to research
data management

47. Why share data? Be a trailblazer!
 A paradigm shift in how research outputs are
viewed is occurring
 Data outputs are of increasing importance –
and are likely to become even more so
 E.g. journals looking to publish
datasets alongside articles
 Be at the forefront of an
important shift in the
academic world
Introduction to research
data management

48. Data sharing – concerns
 Ethical concerns
 Confidential or sensitive data
 Legal concerns
 Third party data
 Professional concerns
 Intended publication
 Commercial issues (e.g. patent protection)
Introduction to research
data management

49. • Redact or embargo if there is good reason
• Planning ahead can reduce difficulties
Data sharing – concerns
Introduction to research
data management
Slide adapted from
the PrePARe Project

50. Repositories and archives
 Data repositories or archives offer a secure
long-term home for research data
 Re3Data.org offers a searchable catalogue of
repositories
Introduction to research
data management

51. ORA-Data
 The University of Oxford’s institutional data archive
 Currently in pilot phase
 Long term preservation for Oxford research datasets
without another natural home
 Datasets will be assigned DOIs
 Datasets can be publicly
available, embargoed for a
fixed period, or hidden
Introduction to research
data management

52. ORA-Data
 Also a catalogue of Oxford-created data held in other
archives
 Researchers depositing data elsewhere strongly
encouraged to add a record to ORA-Data
Introduction to research
data management
http://ox.libguides.com/
about-ora-data

53. Figshare
 Figshare is a free online data sharing platform
 Shared research is allocated a DataCite DOI
 A possible alternative to conventional repositories
 Where no suitable
repository is
available
 If you need a data
sharing solution in
a hurry
Introduction to research
data management

54. Data licensing
 A licence clarifies the conditions for accessing
and making use of a dataset
 Lets users know
 What’s allowed without asking further
permission
 How to cite the work
 Specific requests to go beyond the
terms of the licence can still be made
Introduction to research
data management

55. Data licences - examples
 Creative Common licences
 Widely used and recognized
 Six different flavours, plus CC0
public domain dedication
 Open Data Commons
 Specifically designed for datasets
 Recognizes the structure/content
distinction for databases
Introduction to research
data management

56. Data licensing - guidance
 ‘How to License Research Data’
 A guide from the Digital Curation Centre
http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/how-guides/license-research-data
Introduction to research
data management

57. DATA MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
Introduction to research
data management

58. Data management plans
 Ideally created in the early stages of a project
 While planning, applying for funding, or setting up
 Initial plan may be expanded later
 Details plans and expectations for data
 Nature of data and its creation or
acquisition
 Storage and security
 Preservation and sharing
Introduction to research
data management

59. Exercise
 Have a go at drafting a data management plan
for your own research
 If there are questions you can’t answer at this
stage, make a note of
 What you need to find out
 Decisions you need to make
Introduction to research
data management

60. DMP Online
 Create a data
management plan
using the DMP
Online tool
 Developed by the
DCC – a national
service providing
advice and
resources
https://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/
http://www.dcc.ac.uk/
Introduction to research
data management

61. ‘In preparing for
battle, I have always
found that plans are
useless but planning
is indispensable.’
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Introduction to research
data management

62. FURTHER INFORMATION AND
RESOURCES
Introduction to research
data management

63. Research Data Oxford website
 Oxford’s central
advisory website
 University policy
is available
 Questions?
Email
researchdata
@ox.ac.uk
http://researchdata.ox.ac.uk/
Introduction to research
data management

64. IT Services: Research Support Team
 Can assist with technical aspects of research
projects at all stages of the project lifecycle
 Help with DMPs, selecting software or storage,
building a database, etc.
 Meet with someone for a
research data health check
 For more information, see:
http://research.it.ox.ac.uk/
Introduction to research
data management

65. Research Data MANTRA
 Free online
interactive
training modules
 Aimed at
postgraduates
and early career
researchers
http://datalib.edina.ac.uk/mantra/
Introduction to research
data management

66. Any questions?
Ask now, or email us on
researchdata@ox.ac.uk
Slides and handouts available from
http://research.it.ox.ac.uk/rdmcourses
Introduction to research
data management

67. Rights and re-use
 This presentation is part of a series of research data management
training resources prepared by the IT Services Research Support
Team at the University of Oxford
 The slideshow is based on one developed during the Oxford-based
DaMaRO Project. Parts of it also draw on teaching materials
produced by the PrePARe Project, DATUM for Health, and DataTrain
Archaeology
 With the exception of clip art used with permission from Microsoft,
commercial logos and trademarks, and images specifically credited
to other sources, the slideshow is made available under a Creative
Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike License
 Within the terms of this licence, we actively encourage sharing,
adaptation, and re-use of this material
Introduction to research
data management