Data Management

What is data management?

Data management includes all activities associated with data other than the direct use of the data. It may include:

• data organisation;
• backups;
• archiving data for long-term preservation;
• data sharing or publishing;
• ensuring security of confidential data; and
• data synchronisation.

Good data management practices aligns with a researchers responsibilities under the Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research.

What is research data?

Research data is described by the Australia National Data Service (ANDS) as “The data, records, files or other evidence, irrespective of their content or form (for example, in print, digital, physical or other forms), that comprise research observations, findings or outcomes, including primary materials and analysed data”.

What are the benefits of data management?

Thinking about data management is a forward planning exercise that assists a researcher to

• Make explicit who owns the copyright and intellectual property of the research?
• To secure the protection of research data by making a plan of when, where, how and who will back up the project material?
• Organise data by establishing a version control and naming convention system.
• Raise research profile and find new collaborators by using metadata to aid data sharing and gain data citations.
• Ensure long term access to research data by considering appropriate file formats for storage.
• Gain access to research data sets to improve research productivity

ANDS Project

Australian National Data Service (ANDS) has provided funding for USQ for the creation of a research data management framework for USQ (including policy and data identification and making metadata available to the USQ research community and the Australian Research Data Service).

The project blog is available here