Overview
What is Research Data Management?
Research Data Management (RDM) refers to the practices of organizing, documenting, storing, sharing, and preserving data gathered during a research project. The aim of research data management is to ensure that data are usable over time.
Effective management of digital data involves:
- Formatting data for easy analysis.
- Quality control for integrity.
- File organization and naming conventions for identification.
- Documentation and version control for tracking changes and roll-back.
- Managing storage and access locations for security and collaboration.
- Back-up procedures for redundancy.
- Policies for sharing and reuse.
- Archiving and preservation for future accessibility.
Why Manage Data?
Good data management practices can help researchers to:
- Ensure long-term usability for themselves and others.
- Meet funder and publisher requirements.
- Receive credit for their work.