A growing number of research funding agencies and scientific publications are asking researchers to manage their research data in an exemplary way, to preserve it and make it accessible wherever possible. To this end, Canada's three research funding agencies (SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR) have adopted a statement that funding recipients are invited to read.
However, good research data management enables research teams to establish a common basis for avoiding problems such as data loss, unauthorized communication of sensitive information or transfer problems between team members.
- Good data management means providing the necessary access to make the right data available to the research team at the right time, wherever members of the team may be.
- Collaborative software makes it possible to work together remotely, but you need to understand the implications for information confidentiality, data security and budget planning.
- It is possible to control access to certain data as research progresses, and in some cases it may be reasonable to allocate a period of exclusive use of certain data, in respect of the legitimate conditions of a partner or scientific journal.
- The rules of the main research funding bodies limit this embargo to twelve months (sometimes less) after publication of the article.
- Assessing the risk of confidential information leaks facilitates the use of an anonymization procedure or controlled access processes.
- Good planning makes it possible to determine what can and should be shared, but above all to identify what cannot and should not be shared!
- Using the right procedures prevents data loss and damage.
- What's more, secure access to data is guaranteed for many years to come.
- Good management of research data (including good documentation and metadata compatible with international good practice) enables the reproduction and validation of research results, promotes reuse for the development of new knowledge and avoids duplication of research work!
- Access to research data in an online repository makes it easier for other researchers to use the results, and increases the number of references and citations to the work made available.
