What is Research Data Management?
Research data is information that is collected, observed or created for the purpose of analysis to produce original research. Research data management is one part of the research process. It is concerned with structuring and organizing research data throughout the processes of collection, storage, use, accessibility, and re-use.
Careful research data management is desirable because it promotes research efficiency and data integrity. Additionally, dozens of federal funding agencies, non-profit granting agencies, and even some corporate funders now require grant applicants to submit research data management plans with their grant proposals.
This guide introduces some of the core practices and resources for research data management. The resources in this guide are organized by phases in data management. To navigate, click the links to the left.
For individualized support with research data management, please call, email or use the automatic scheduler for an appointment.
Benefits of Research Data Management
- Ensures integrity of data
- Ensures work flow & record-keeping consistency within research teams
- Makes data readily understandable to people outside the project
- Enables sharing of data within and across disciplines
- Makes it easier to archive and preserve data
- Encourages data citation to increase the impact of research
- Data Management Plans are now required by many grant-giving agencies.
