This project, funded under the Managing Research Data programme of JISC, increased the data management and sharing capability of research hubs within the social sciences through support and training.

This project was supported by JISC under the Managing Research Data Programme, aiming to promote and support good data management and sharing for the benefit of UK Higher Education and Research.

The UK Data Archive worked with ESRC Research Centres and Programmes to expand the implementation of data management planning procedures, enable effective data management practices and increase individual and institutional data management and sharing capacity in research 'hubs'.

The project assessed existing data management practices and then helped develop and implement effective data management planning in the research lifecycle and increase individual and institutional data managing and sharing capacity by providing best practice guidance, support and training. Examples of effective data management practices and existing expertise from the UK Data Archive were used to develop advice to enhance data quality and its potential for sharing.

The long-term aim of this project was to engage with challenging and sensitive aspects of archiving and sharing. This embraces: informed consent; confidentiality; the ethics of sharing; copyright; the implications of using secondary data; enhancing data; preservation formats; storage; security; and back-up. Ultimately, not only will debate and co-ordinating strategies on these issues improve the quality of data, they will also improve research training in the UK.

The project built on experiences gained from co-ordinating the Economic and Social Data Service and the Rural Economy and Land Use programme Data Support Service; and from cross-pollination with Timescapes.

Archive contribution

The Research Data Management Support Services section of the UK Data Archive managed this project as part of their wider remit to provide bespoke research data management support and training for social sciences researchers and research centres. ESRC were partners in this work and provided support for liaison with Centres and Programmes.

Principal investigator:  Louise Corti
Funder:  JISC, ESRC
Dates:  January 2010 - May 2011
Contact:  Research Data Management
Links:  Report on data management practices in the social sciences