Research data management in the humanities Sudamih Project

Research data management in the humanities Sudamih Project, OUCS Oxford University Computing Services

What is research data management? ▪ The aspects of research that take place between gathering sources and producing the final outputs ▪ Organising and structuring material ▪ Storage and backing up ▪ Preparing material for analysis, or to share with others ▫ This may include working with databases Oxford University Computing Services 2

Key aims of research data management ▪ In the short term, to ensure you have the information you need at your fingertips ▪ In the longer term, to ensure information remains secure, easily retrievable, intelligible, and adequately documented Oxford University Computing Services 3

Funding bodies’ requirements ▪ Funders are increasingly requiring researchers to meet certain data management criteria ▫ For example, you may be asked to make your data available through an archive ▪ When applying for funding, you may need to submit a technical or data management plan Oxford University Computing Services 4

Data management basics ▪ Be proactive – plan ahead ▪ Take time to look at your existing ways of dealing with information ▫ Do they meet your current needs? ▫ Will they continue to do so for the duration of your research project? Beyond that? ▪ Think about how you’ll integrate new material with what you already have Oxford University Computing Services 5

Information management tools ▪ Explore the tools that are available ▫ ▫ Word processors can’t do everything Consider using a relational database. . . or some bibliographic software. . . or software to annotate, organise, analyse. . . ▪ Visit the Research Skills Toolkit website ▪ Ask colleagues for recommendations Oxford University Computing Services 6

Storage and backing up ▪ Your data is valuable – so keep it safe ▫ Make a backup plan ▫ Keep copies in multiple places ▫ OUCS’s HFS service offers free backup and archiving to university staff ▪ If you work on multiple computers, investigate synchronisation services ▫ Dropbox is popular – though others exist Oxford University Computing Services 7

Training ▪ OUCS IT Learning Programme offers courses on a wide range of software ▫ Also database design, working with digital images, Web publishing. . . ▫ Look out for courses specifically focusing on data management ▪ The Skills Hub (on Web. Learn) lists other training providers Oxford University Computing Services 8

Advice and support ▪ OUCS’s RTS team (shortly to become Info. Dev) can advise on technical issues ▪ Departmental IT support teams ▪ OUCS’s NSMS offers paid-for services ▪ The OU Research Data Management website provides guidance and information about services ▪ Download the Sudamih Project’s leaflet Oxford University Computing Services 9

Data sharing and curation ▪ In addition to publishing your results, you may also want to share your data ▫ Data for sharing needs to be consistently presented and properly documented ▫ Consider depositing it in an archive ▫ Oxford has its own researchive - ORA ▪ The Digital Curation Centre is a national body which can provide advice Oxford University Computing Services 10

Finally. . . ▪ See time spent on information management as an investment ▫ Spend a little time now to save more later ▪ It can be a good task for times when you’re feeling tired and uninspired ▫ But remember that it’s supposed to save time, not occupy it! Oxford University Computing Services 11