Research Data Lifecycle by LMA Research Data Management Working Group
In the plan and design phase, researchers will work to create several plans that establish a foundation for the research project – plans for the overall project, who will be responsible for the different components of the project (roles and responsibilities), and how data will be organized and stored, for example. Researchers should familiarize themselves with the requirements of funders and TAMU policies. Identifying relevant internal and external stakeholders (Division of Research, Libraries, etc.) can expedite the planning process and ensure that researchers are in compliance with requirements.
Here are helpful resources to assist with planning and designing your project:
You may need to create a Data Management Plan during this phase. Additional guidance for creating a plan is available in this guide under the DMPTool tab. Sample plans are available under the Sample Plan tab.
Before collecting/creating data, it must be determined how data will be stored, organized, and labeled/described as well as creating any associated workflows. Consider elements from the Data Management and Sharing Plan Checklist (Working Group on NIH DMSP Guidance):
Design how you will store your data:
Researchers in this phase should be closely documenting how data are analyzed. Data analysis is the “process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making” (LMA Research Data Management Working Group, Harvard University).
By fully documenting this process, researchers are planning for future reproducibility and safeguarding the process of their work, along with gaining insight from collaborators.
Resources for analysis and collaboration:
Texas A&M University data is not owned by a single individual, but is a university asset that is owned by the institution and entrusted to appropriate individuals for their care. Understanding these roles and their relationship to the data they oversee is critical for ensuring good governance of university data. This is true of all types of university data, including research data, unless there is a legally binding agreement in place with different terms (Learn more at SAP 15.99.03.M1.03).
Use this Guide to see how your data is classified for risk. Texas A&M has several Tools to help with analyzing your data to meet requirements for keeping data safe.
Texas A&M University has an institutional data repository - The Texas Data Repository (TDR) that is available to researchers by the University Libraries. It is a flexible online platform for researchers to publish and archive datasets and data products.
Learn more about Data Repositories and find best practices for sharing and preserving your research data to meet journal requirements or funding mandates.
Research data may not be copyrightable in the U.S. However, certain intellectual property policies and licenses may inform how you and others can share and use data.
Assigning a license can help clarify how you want people to use your data.
