CREATE & MANAGE DATA

RESEARCH DATA LIFECYCLE

Data often have a longer lifespan than the research project that creates them. Researchers may continue to work on data after funding has ceased, follow-up projects may analyse or add to the data, and data may be re-used by other researchers.

Well organised, well documented, preserved and shared data are invaluable to advance scientific inquiry and to increase opportunities for learning and innovation.

  1. Creating data
  2. Processing data
  3. Analysing data
  4. Preserving data
  5. Giving access to data
  6. Re-using data

Creating data

  • design research
  • plan data management (formats, storage etc)
  • plan consent for sharing
  • locate existing data
  • collect data (experiment, observe, measure, simulate)
  • capture and create metadata

Processing data

  • enter data, digitise, transcribe, translate
  • check, validate, clean data
  • anonymise data where necessary
  • describe data
  • manage and store data

Analysing data

  • interpret data
  • derive data
  • produce research outputs
  • author publications
  • prepare data for preservation

Preserving data

  • migrate data to best format
  • migrate data to suitable medium
  • back-up and store data
  • create metadata and documentation
  • archive data

Giving access to data

  • distribute data
  • share data
  • control access
  • establish copyright
  • promote data

Re-using data

  • follow-up research
  • new research
  • undertake research reviews
  • scrutinise findings
  • teach and learn

A QUICK GUIDE TO THE ARCHIVE  

1 of 10: We provide continuous access to the UK’s largest collection of digital research data in the social sciences
2 of 10: We hold thousands of data collections for social science research and teaching, quantitative and qualitative
3 of 10: Each of our data collections has a unique persistent identifier (DOI) that makes it easier to find and cite
4 of 10: We hold the only copy of many of the UK's large national surveys charting social research back decades
5 of 10: We are an established national archive at the forefront of managing, preserving, sharing and delivering data
6 of 10: We are certified to ISO 27001, the information security standard, and helped develop the Data Seal of Approval
7 of 10: We are a collaborative organisation supporting emerging and existing creators and users of data
8 of 10: We provide best practice guidance and training in managing and sharing research data
9 of 10: You won’t be able to find your family records on our site. You should visit a genealogical site instead
10 of 10: We don’t provide ready-made statistics, but using Nesstar you can view frequencies from popular surveys
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