Q. How should I manage my data for my research project?

Research Data Management

Data management is the care and maintenance of the data that is produced during the course of research. It is an integral part of the research process and helps to ensure that data is properly organized, described, preserved, and shared. Data management is important because: 

1. Properly managed data and research outputs save time, money, and effort. 
2. Data management is required by funding agencies and publishers.
3. Well-managed data aids in making your work reproducible.

Before Your Research

A data management plan is a formal document that outlines: 

• research workflow and information about the data that will be generated, collected, or reused
• research output format, metadata, access and sharing policies, long-term storage, and budget 
• Creating a data management plan will save you time by creating a clear structure for organizing your data throughout the research life cycle, and ensures that you and others will be able to use and understand your data in the future.

During Your Research

Set up and document workflows to ensure that data and other research outputs are secure. This includes properly backing up, protecting, and archiving data. 
Start by following the 3-2-1 rule: 

• store three copies of data at two different locations with one copy in the cloud (or offsite) 
• Some research data may also fall under restricted or confidential categories, and it is critical that proper policy compliance is both taken and recorded. 

After Your Research

Upon completion of a project, select an archival data repository to publish your research data outputs. Repositories ensure that your data will be stored and can be accessed for future use, either by you or other researchers. Publishers and funding institutions have guidelines to address data access and archiving through using trusted data repositories that ensure long term archiving and discoverability. 

By properly archiving data and other outputs, research is more likely to be cited, reused, and discovered in search engines.

Adapted from UC Berkeley Library's LibGuide