LibGuides: Managing Your Research Data: Plan & create

From the outset of your research project, it is important to be organised and to plan ahead. Things to consider when beginning a project include:

Understanding the nature of the data to be collected or created (e.g. interviews, physical samples, simulations)
Anticipating the volume of data you will have (e.g. numbers of files and file sizes)
Specifying the ways in which data will be used
Anticipating the processes data will undergo
Determining how data will be checked and verified
Identifying what data to keep for future use or preservation
When re-using existing data, documenting who owns it and any purchase or licensing agreements
Considering any ethical or cultural concerns that might affect your data - how you collect, store, use, and share data.

DATA MANAGEMENT PLANS (DMPs)

A DMP is a formal document that outlines and describes the data you expect to collect or generate during your research, how you will manage, describe, analyse, and store those data, and how you will preserve and share that data at the end of your project. Why write a DMP?

Several funders require a DMP to access their grants/funding
Some publishers will now also ask for a DMP when submitting an article
A DMP will help you meet your obligations to the University of Otago as laid out in the Research Code of Conduct.

The University of Otago has an online DMP tool. It is free to use for University of Otago staff and students, safe, secure and you can access your data management information anytime from any computer or mobile device.

For more information about writing a DMP, see the below guidelines and checklists:

Data Management Checklist (UK Data Service)
A short list for identifying basic data management practices.
Checklist for a Data Management Plan (Digital Curation Centre)
A thorough four-page checklist with questions to consider and advice. The DCC also has a web-based DMP tool that researchers can use (DMPonline).

ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

Depending on the types of data you will be creating and/or collecting during your research project, you might need to consider confidentiality, commercial and third-party use, sensitivity, storage and security. Additional consideration in your DMP may be warranted for:

Managing the consultation process with Māori when applicable (see also Te Mana Raraunga for more on Māori data sovereignty)
Depositing data in a publicly-accessible data repository

Also, be aware of the University of Otago's policies regarding intellectual property rights, ownership, and copyright: