This guide provides an overview of research data management. It covers basic information to get you started, and with links to resources providing detailed information and processes.
What is research data?
Research data is the information you collect during your original research.
It could be in documents, spreadsheets, laboratory or field notebooks, interview transcripts, images or video, specimens or samples, code or algorithms, and from observational, experimental, simulation, derived or compiled data.
What is research data management?
Research data management refers to the active curation of data throughout the research life-cycle.
- 23 (research data) Things23 (research data) Things is self-directed learning for anybody who wants to know more about research data. ANDS Australian National Data Service
Why manage research data?
By managing your data you will:
- Ensure research data and records are accurate, complete, authentic and reliable
- Save time if the data is better organised and easier to find
- Enhance data security, minimize the risk of data loss or corruption, and privacy or copyright breaches
- Meet funding body grant requirements
- Ensure research integrity and replication
- Prevent duplication of effort by enabling others to use your data
- Comply with practices conducted in industry and commerce
- Increasing your research profile and potentially find new audiences and collaborators through dissemination, citation and re-use of data
Principles, policies and codes
RDM guidelines for AUT researchers
AUT guidelines
Researchers should follow AUT data management and ethical guidelines to manage your research data. Check the Research data management Q&A page on Tuia.