Good practice in Research Data ManagementModule 2: RDM Introduction

Topics• What is Research Data Management (RDM)?• Why is RDM is important– National landscape and external drivers– Newcastle University response/policy/implications

• Benefits & barriers

WHAT IS RDM?

What is RDM?“Research data management concerns the organisation of data, from its entry to the research cycle through to the dissemination and archiving of valuable results.”

Whyte & Tedds, 2011http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/briefing-papers/making-case-rdm

RDM is about…• Caring for… • Facilitating access to… • Preserving…• Adding value to… digital research data throughout its lifecycle

Activities involved in RDM

Create

Document

Use

Store

Share

Preserve

ACTIVITY: YOUR RESEARCH DATA CYCLE

Your data cycle: feedback• Can you improve your research data

management?• Where are the weak points?• Are you at risk of losing data?

WHY IS RDM IMPORTANT?

Holistic perspective• Good data management is good for research– More efficient research process– Avoidance of data loss– Benefits of data reuse

HE perspective• Alignment with universities' missions– Universities want to provide excellent research

infrastructure– Universities want to have better oversight of

research outputs

External drivers• Research funder policies– Require Open Access, RDM plans or 'technical

appendices'• Legislation & litigious environment– DPA, FOIA

• Open data agenda• Volume of digital research data

Newcastle University perspective• Significant academic and financial implications

for Newcastle University• In 2010-2011 direct research income was £88

million• REF associated Quality-Related funding

returns £35 million annually

Newcastle University perspective #2

• Public funders now mandate that research data produced through their funding are available openly for verification, validation and re-use

• RCUK roadmap of compliance – EPSRC strictest May 2012 – May 2015

• http://research.ncl.ac.uk/rdm/

Newcastle University perspective #3

• Newcastle University is committed to the full lifecycle of research management

• Investment in systems • Major Jisc-funded project: Iridium• Documentation and support– http://research.ncl.ac.uk/rdm/

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS

Benefits and barriers of good RDM• What are the benefits?– For the researcher?– For the "public good"?– For compliance?

• What are the barriers?

Benefits for the researcher• Increased efficiency, time saving• Improved use of resource(s), reduced

duplication• Enhanced data security and reduced risk of

data loss• Stimulation of new collaborations and new

research opportunities

Benefits for the "public good"• Data and records are accurate, complete,

authentic and reliable• Research integrity and replication• Better spending of the "public purse"• Better research and knowledge

Benefits of compliance• Meet funding body grant requirements• Comply with practices conducted in industry

and commerce• Comply with legal and ethical considerations• Comply with publisher requirements

Barriers to good RDM• Individual barriers

– "My data doesn't fit RDM"– "It's my data!"– "I just want to get on with the research!"– "I don't understand RDM or what to do about it"

• Institutional barriers– Authority structures in universities– Insufficient local infrastructure to support RDM requirements– No checking of compliance internally

• Academic culture barriers– Informal sharing practices already exists– Lack of reuse culture– Legal, ethical and commercial motives

SESSION REVIEW

In summary• RDM concerns the careful management of

data throughout its lifecycle• Newcastle University is making a strong

institution-wide response• The benefits outweigh the barriers!

Acknowledgements• Digital Curation Centre (DCC)– http://www.dcc.ac.uk/training

• RDM Rose, Jisc project 2012-13, University of Sheffield– http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose

• Research data MANTRA [online course], EDINA and Data Library, University of Edinburgh– http://datalib.edina.ac.uk/mantra/