Definition
Research data management is a concept used to describe the managing, sharing, and archiving of research data to make it more accessible to the broader research community. Research data management provides an opportunity for a researcher to create a plan that will ensure that their data will be organized so that it can be shared with other researchers, and archived for long term preservation. Librarians can assist researchers with their data management concerns by helping to assign metadata to describe research data; teaching data management best practices; providing guidance for transferring data into a data repository; and outlining a preservation plan to ensure long term access to data.
Tips for Teaching Research Data Management:
- Implementing a team-teaching approach that is scalable to multiple disciplines and active-learning components allows for addressing a variety of data management needs.
- One way to approach a course would be to ask the research the following questions:
- How will you manage your data?
- What type of Data or file formats do you produce in your work/research?
- What standards will you use for data documentation and metadata format?
- Where will you store your data?
- Will your data be secure?
- Do you have a backup strategy?
- How will you release your data for access?
- How will you share your data?
- How will you archive the data for preservation and long-term access?
- Building flexibility into the course would enable the course to be valuable for students at various educational (undergraduate and master’s/PhD) and experience levels.
- Employing a variety of delivery methods, video, online self-paced, and one on-one instruction, allows for faculty to choose various combinations of modules and delivery methods to be incorporated into a range of learning environments that meet their needs as well as those of their students.
Further Resources
Akers KG, Doty J. (2013). Disciplinary differences in faculty research data management practices and perspectives(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 8(2), 5–26. doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v8i2.263
Arora R, Esteva M, & Trelogan J. (2014). Leveraging High Performance Computing for Managing Large and Evolving Data Collections(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 9(2). doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v9i2.331
Asher A, Deards K, Esteva M, Halbert M, Jahnke L, Jordan C, … [institution], C. on L. and I. R. E. (2013). Research Data Management: Principles, Practices, and Prospects(link is external). Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information Resources.
Beale G, Pagi H. (2013). Datapool Imaging Case Study: Final Report(link is external).
Bicarregui J, Gray N, Henderson R, Jones R, Lambert S, & Matthews B. (2013). Data Management and Preservation Planning for Big Science(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 8(1), 29–41. doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v8i1.247
Corbett M, Deardorff A, & Kovar-Gough I. (2014). Emerging Data Management Roles for Health Librarians in Electronic Medical Records(link is external). Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association / Journal de l’Association Des Bibliothèques de La Santé Du Canada.
Federer L. (2016). Research data management in the age of big data: Roles and opportunities for librarians(link is external). Information Services & Use, 36(1/2), 35–43.
Luce RE. (2012). A New Value Equation Challenge: The Emergence of eResearch and Roles for Research Libraries(link is external). Council on Library and Information Resources.
Lyon L. (2012). The Informatics Transform: Re-Engineering Libraries for the Data Decade.(link is external) International Journal of Digital Curation, 7(1):126–38.
Parham SW, Carlson J, Hswe P, Westra B, & Whittier A. (2016). Using data management plans to explore variability in research data management practices across domains(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 11(1).
Plale B. (2014). Synthesis of Working Group and Interest Group Activity One Year into the Research Data Alliance(link is external). D-Lib Magazine, 20(1/2). doi.org/10.1045/january2014-plale
Strasser C. (2015). Research Data Management: A Primer Publication of the National Information Standards Organization(link is external). Baltimore, MD.
Surkis A, Read K. (2015). Research data management(link is external). Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 103(3), 154–156. doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.103.3.011
Research Data Services
Akers KG. (2014). Going beyond data management planning: Comprehensive research data services(link is external). Coll. Res. Libr. News, 75(8), 435–436.
Akers KG, Sferdean FC, Nicholls NH, & Green JA. (2014). Building Support for Research Data Management: Biographies of Eight Research Universities(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 9(2). doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v9i2.327
Badia G. (2014, March 5). Reading Faculty’s Research Publications Helps to Determine Which Professors to Target for Data Services(link is external). Evidence Based Library and Information Practice.
Ball J. (2013). Research data management for libraries: getting started(link is external). Insights: The UKSG Journal, 26(3), 256–260. doi.org/10.1629/2048-7754.70
Byatt D, Scott M, Beale G, Cox SJ, & White W. (2013). Developing Researcher Skills in Research Data Management: Training for the Future—A DataPool Project Report(link is external).
Byatt D, White W. (2013). Research Data Management Planning, Guidance and Support: A DataPool Project Report(link is external).
Coates H. (2014). Building Data Services From the Ground Up: Strategies and Resources(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, 3(1), 52–59. doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2014.1063
Delserone LM. (2008). At the watershed: Preparing for research data management and stewardship at the University of Minnesota Libraries(link is external). Library Trends. Urbana-Champaign, Illinois: John Hopkins University Press and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. p. 202–10.
Dillo I, Doorn P. (2014). The Front Office–Back Office Model: Supporting Research Data Management in the Netherlands(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 9(2). doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v9i2.333
Erway R, Horton L, Nurnberger A, Otsuji R, & Rushing A. (2016). Building Blocks: Laying the Foundation for a Research Data Management Program(link is external). Dublin, OH.
Erway R, Rinehart A. (2016). If You Build It, Will They Fund? Making Research Data Management Sustainable(link is external). Dublin, OH.
Fary M, Owen K. (2013). Developing an Institutional Research Data Management Plan Service(link is external). Louisville, CO.
Fearon DJ, Gunia B, Pralle BE, Lake S, & Sallans AL. (n.d.). SPEC Kit 334: Research Data Management Services(link is external). Washington, DC.
Fitt A, Rouse R, & Taylor S. (2015). RDM: An Approach from a Modern University with a Growing Research Portfolio(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 10(1). doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v10i1.353
Jones S, Pryor G, & Whyte A. (2013). How to Develop Research Data Management Services—A Guide for HEIs(link is external). Edinburgh.
Mattern E, Jeng W, He D, Lyon L, & Brenner A. (2015). Using Participatory Design and Visual Narrative Inquiry to Investigate Researchers—Data Challenges and Recommendations for Library Research Data Services(link is external). Program, 49(4), 408–423.
Parsons T. (2013). Creating a Research Data Management Service(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 8(2), 146–156. doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v8i2.279
Raboin R, Reznik-Zellen RC, Salo D. (2012). Forging New Service Paths: Institutional Approaches to Providing Research Data Management Services(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, 1(3).
Rinehart AK. (2015). Getting Emotional about Data: The Soft Side of Data Management Services(link is external). College & Research Libraries News, 76(8), 437–440.
Starr J, Willett P, Federer L, Horning C, Bergstrom M. (2012). A Collaborative Framework for Data Management Services: The Experience of the University of California(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, 1(2):109–14.
White W, Byatt D, & Hitchcock S. (2013). DataPool: Final Report(link is external). Southampton, UK.
Wilson JAJ, Jeffreys P. (2013). Towards a Unified University Infrastructure: The Data Management Roll-Out at the University of Oxford(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 8(2), 235–246. doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v8i2.287
Wright S, Whitmire A, Zilinski L, & Minor D. (2014). Collaboration and Tension between Institutions and Units Providing Data Management Support(link is external). Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 40(6), 18–21.
Teaching RDM to Researchers
Johnston L, Jeffryes J. (2014). Steal this idea: A library instructor’s guide to educating students in data management skills(link is external). College & Research Libraries News, 75(8), 2014.
Johnston L, Lafferty M, Petsan B. (2012). Training Researchers on Data Management: A Scalable, Cross-Disciplinary Approach(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, 1(2).
Reed R. (2015). Diving into Data: Planning a Research Data Management Event(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, e1071. doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2015.1071
Whitmire AL. (2015). Implementing a Graduate-Level Research Data Management Course: Approach, Outcomes, and Lessons Learned(link is external). Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 3(2), eP1246. doi.org/10.7710/2162-3309.1246
Teaching RDM to Librarians
Cox A, Verbaan E, & Sen B. (2014). A Spider, an Octopus, or an Animal Just Coming into Existence? Designing a Curriculum for Librarians to Support Research Data Management(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, 3(1). doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2014.1055
Davis HM, Cross WM. (2015). Using a Data Management Plan Review Service as a Training Ground for Librarians(link is external). Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 3(2), eP1243. doi.org/10.7710/2162-3309.1243
Goben A, Raszewski R. (2015). Policies and Background Literature for Self-Education on Research Data Management: An Annotated Bibliography(link is external). Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 82. doi.org/10.5062/F4GB222C
Goben A, Raszewski R. (2015). Research Data Management Self-Education for Librarians: A Webliography(link is external). Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 82.doi.org/10.5062/F4348HCK
Johnson AM, Bresnahan MM. (2015). DataDay!: Designing and Assessing a Research Data Workshop for Subject Librarians(link is external). Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 3(2), eP1229. doi.org/10.7710/2162-3309.1229
Marshall B, O’Bryan K, Qin N, & Vernon R. (2013). Organizing, Contextualizing, and Storing Legacy Research Data: A Case Study of Data Management for Librarians(link is external). Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 74. doi.org/10.5062/F4K07270
Piorun M, Kafel D, Leger-Hornby T, Najafi S, Martin E, Colombo P, et al. (2012). Teaching Research Data Management: An Undergraduate/Graduate Curriculum(link is external). Journal of eScience Librarianship, 1(1):46–50.
Searle S. (2015). Using Scenarios in Introductory Research Data Management Workshops for Library Staff(link is external). D-Lib Magazine, 21(11/12). doi.org/10.1045/november2015-searle
Shadbolt A, Konstantelos L, Lyon L, & Guy M. (2014). Delivering Innovative RDM Training: The immersiveInformatics Pilot Programme(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 9(1), 313–323. doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v9i1.318