FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: DATA MANAGEMENT AND SHARING
Sharing or archiving research data
Why should I share my research data?Will my archived data be in the public domain?
What is a 'dataset' or a 'new dataset'?
Who are likely to be the potential users of an archived dataset?
What are the benefits of depositing data with an archive or data centre?
Scientific excellence is measured through publications. Why would I archive research data rather than publish results?
Will data be peer-reviewed as a quality assurance?
Do you have information on the purpose of data archiving, so I can explain it to research participants?
Are there research data which cannot be shared?
Should researchers or institutions keep a copy of their data after they have been archived at UKDA?
Preparing data for archiving
How do I prepare my dataset for secondary research?What are the costs of preparing the data and documentation for archiving?
How can other researchers understand and therefore use my data?
Must I transcribe interviews if I want to archive them?
How do I transcribe interviews?
Who do I contact if I need further advice on preparing data for archiving?
Consent, confidentiality and ethics
See dedicated FAQ on consent, confidentiality and ethicsCopyright
Do archived data become the property of the data centre or archive?Who holds copyright of data?
Who holds copyright of in-depth interviews?
If I use existing data and combine them with data I have collected myself, do I then have copyright of the new material?
How are the rights of the original copyright holder protected when data archived at the UKDA are re-used by other researchers?
If I pay for data to be created, but not by an employee, can I retain copyright?
Why does the UKDA consent form request that research participants grant copyright to the researcher?
Who holds the rights in a database structure and content?
Some journals ask authors to make available the data used for a publication. How do I comply with this?
Formats
The data resulting from my research are in proprietary software (e.g. transcripts in N-Vivo). How do I archive them?My research was carried out abroad and my data are not in English. Can they be archived at UKDA?
Data I collected are summary notes of focus group discussions. Are these worth archiving?
The data resulting from my research are recordings of interviews and focus groups and a collection of artefacts. Can these be archived?
Sharing or archiving research data
Why should I share my research data?Publicly funded research data are produced in the public interest and their value lies in their use and re-use. When data are managed well they can be shared and re-used for scientific and educational purposes. Researchers, funding agencies and the public benefit from data sharing.
Sharing data:
- adds value to public investment
- facilitates diverse analyses often beyond the scope of the initial research
- encourages scientific inquiry
- avoids replicating data collection
- supports research into data collection methods
- provides resources for education and training
- facilitates the creation of new data through combination of existing datasets
See detailed information on why to share research data.
Will my archived data be in the public domain?No, data archived at the UKDA are not generally in the public domain. The data are generally available for not-for-profit research and teaching purposes. Access to data requires user authentication using federated access management. Users are required to sign an End User Licence that specifies the terms of use of data.
What is a 'dataset' or a 'new dataset'?A dataset is a collection of research data which forms a unit. A dataset can result from primary data collection or can be derived from existing sources or data. A dataset can be a collection of interview transcripts, field notes, audio recordings or photographs resulting from a research project; it can be a database containing survey data, numeric data files, input data and script used to model scenarios, etc.
Who are likely to be the potential users of an archived dataset?Most potential users will be within the higher education and further education research communities. Consideration should be given to secondary usage of the materials and taken into account in the data documentation and metadata of materials for archiving.
What are the benefits of depositing data with an archive or data centre?Data archiving has great benefits for data owners and researchers. Depositing data ensures their safe-keeping in the long term, with control maintained by the data centre on behalf of the data owner. This can include informing the owner of applications for use and maintaining registers of users and usage. The ability to demonstrate continued usage of the data after the original research is completed can influence funders to provide further research money.
The use of archived data by other researchers may lead to collaborations with the data owner and to co-authorship of publications based on re-use of the data.
Depositing data allows data owners to avoid the administrative tasks associated with external users and their queries. At the same time the data holders can foster a fruitful dialogue between original and secondary researchers by running user groups and data-use workshops while shielding the original researchers from the more tedious aspects of dissemination.
It is also an essential part of the scholarly research process to be able to identify information sources. Bibliographic control of books, papers, journals and other printed sources is taken for granted. They are identifiable in library and publishers' catalogues and, when used as source material in scholarly publications, are fully referenced. The depositing of data enables datasets to be as fully identifiable and easy to find as printed materials by ensuring that:
- datasets are fully documented with all bibliographical details (title, date, author)
- datasets are fully catalogued in a Data Catalogue
- users of the data are aware of the need to acknowledge the data sources in publications, through proper citation
The archiving of research data by no means replaces scientific publications. Archiving data resulting from a research project provides an additional output besides many other research outputs. Archived data can complement publications and provide the baseline data used for publications. Some datasets can be significant in their own right and may qualify as part of a researcher's research portfolio.
Will data be peer-reviewed as a quality assurance?Data offered for archiving are not subjected to peer-review. The data creator has the responsibility to ensure high quality of data, both at the stage of data collection and at the stage of data entry or transcription. The UKDA will carry out certain quality reviews of deposited data during processing to ensure that variables and values are accurate according to the documentation supplied and are well labelled; to check for missing or erroneous values; to check that confidentiality is not breached; etc.
Do you have information on the purpose of data archiving, so I can explain it to research participants?Easy-to-understand information that can be given to participants about what archiving their data means can be found on the Informing research participants.
Are there research data which cannot be shared?Personal data or sensitive data may not be suitable for sharing with other researchers, depending on the informed consent that has been obtained from participants. Also data for which partial copyright lies with parties other than the researcher cannot be shared unless permission for data sharing has been given by all copyright holders. UKDA asks for specific information on such circumstances when data are being offered for archiving so data can be assessed by UKDA to ensure that they can be shared with other researchers in an ethical and legal way.
Should researchers or institutions keep a copy of their data after they have been archived at UKDA?Once data are archived at UKDA, the data owner can access those data at all times. UKDA will safeguard and preserve the data in the long term, so they remain accessible. Researchers may keep a copy of their data at their own discretion.
Preparing data for archiving
How do I prepare my dataset for secondary research?Data should be prepared in such a way to enable the data to be used by other researchers, and for the data archive to be able to create accurate catalogue records. Researchers are encouraged to document data appropriately, see data documentation and metadata, to include research procedures and fieldwork methods and to ensure that data are held in an organised manner. Documentation is invaluable in enabling secondary users to contextualise data and conduct better informed re-use of the material. Any consent and confidentiality concerns which may inhibit archiving data should be resolved.
What are the costs of preparing the data and documentation for archiving?ESRC advise that there should be no additional costs for archiving data, other than researcher(s) time to prepare data and documentation for deposit. This time should be costed into the application. On average it is recommended that two to three weeks are costed into an average two year research grant application to prepare and collate materials for deposit. However, owing to the disparate nature of research and data creation, we cannot provide advice on exact costs likely to be incurred in data preparation.
Various activities typically associated with preparing data are outlined below, for which you can work out appropriate costs in terms of people's time and equipment/software needed. Much data preparation can be carried out as part of the research process, during data entry and transcription, therefore significantly reducing the cost of preparing data for archiving.
For quantitative/numerical data, allow time to add appropriate variable, value and code labelling to data, to create SPSS set up files (if relevant), to supply the syntax or logical statements for derived variables etc. as part of data-level documentation.
For qualitative data, provision should be made for the full transcription of interviews, focus groups discussions and so on, where the budget will allow. Transcription cost should be included in the overall research budget. If full transcription is really not feasible, interviews or focus groups should be fully summarised. For transcript in non-English languages, English summaries should be prepared for archiving, so costs for translation might be appropriate. A data listing giving details of each interview should be created.
Consent and data confidentiality also impact on costs for archiving. Consent for data archiving should be arranged during research when consent for participation and data use is obtained, or arranged afterwards. Allow time to anonymise data, where required. Ideally anonymisation should be undertaken during the project but will need to be checked before archiving the data. The time involved should not be underestimated as anonymisation appropriate for archiving may require the use of pseudonyms, or the preparation of an anonymisation key. The anonymised document should be meaningful and usable by other researchers. See anonymising research data guidelines and techniques for detailed guidance.
The cost of digitisation of non-digital sources e.g. if the research involves work on a paper-based collection can usually be included in the overall research budget.
Additional suggestions and requirements on preparing data and documentation for archiving can be found in the data management sections on data documentation and metadata, quality control and data formats.
How can other researchers understand and therefore use my data?Data can only be understood and used to their full potential by other researchers if they are adequately documented, see data documentation and metadata. Any potential re-user should understand exactly how the research was carried out and what the data mean. The data creator should provide sufficient information on the objectives and methodology of the research; explain the data collection methods used; explicitly describe the meanings of variables and codes used and any derivation, transformations or data cleaning carried out.
Must I transcribe interviews if I want to archive them?It is recommended that transcriptions of interviews are made. Full transcriptions significantly extend the potential for analysis and re-use of a research collection, both by the original researchers and by secondary users. Transcription should be seen as a step within the analytical process of research, rather than as a mechanical conversion of data. If interviews are not transcribed, then recorded interviews could be archived alongside summaries. See guidance on transcription.
How do I transcribe interviews?Audio-visually recorded interviews are usually transcribed manually, see guidance on transcription. A standard transcription structure is recommended if transcripts are to be archived or if Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) software is to be used to analyse the data.
Transcriptions possess a unique identifier, adopt a uniform layout, make use of speaker tags clearly indicating the question/answer sequence, carry line breaks, be page numbered and carry a document header giving brief details of the interview: date, place, interviewer name, interviewee details, etc.
Who do I contact if I need further advice on preparing data for archiving?If after reviewing the information on data managing, sharing and archiving, any query or question remains unresolved, email acquisitions@esds.ac.uk.
Copyright
Do archived data become the property of the data centre or archive?No, archived data remain the property of the original data creator(s). The data centre or archive preserves, stores and disseminates the data for you, but does not own the data or hold any rights in the collection, unless added-value work such as transcription has been undertaken as part of processing in-house.
Who holds copyright of data?Copyright, an Intellectual Property Right reflecting the output of human intellect, applies to creative and artistic original work including written work, spoken word, photographs, databases, research data, etc. Copyright is automatically assigned and does not need to be applied for.
Usually copyright is retained by the author of the original work; this could be an individual, organisation or institution. If a piece of work is completed as part of employment, the employer will retain copyright of the work. Anyone who is commissioned to create a piece of work on behalf of someone else will retain copyright of that work. See detailed information on copyright.
When data have been created from a variety of sources or if the research has been funded by a number of organisations, there is shared copyright for all involved parties. In these cases permission to archive data must be sought from all interested parties and a covering letter confirming agreement should accompany the materials when deposited.
Who holds copyright of in-depth interviews?The speaker holds the copyright in the spoken word. Transcription of the words on paper or computer is protected by copyright and is owned by the person making the transcription. If the transcription is a substantial reproduction of the words spoken, the speaker will own copyright in the words and a separate copyright will apply to the transcription. This is of particular relevance to the recording of in-depth interviews. This also applies to a recording on tape or video. The person making the recording will own the copyright in the recording and the interviewee will own the copyright in the words.
Copyright can only be transferred in writing and signed by the person making the transfer. This document is called an assignment. If researchers wish to publish large extracts from an interview, it is advisable to obtain a transfer of copyright from interviewees.
If I use existing data and combine them with data I have collected myself, do I then have copyright of the new material?Yes, but not sole copyright to the new material. The creator (author) of the existing data used for the research will still retain copyright in that material. For the purpose of data archiving, permission is needed from the person/organisation holding copyright of existing data to archive the new data.
How are the rights of the original copyright holder protected when data archived at the UKDA are re-used by other researchers?Access conditions for the dissemination of all materials deposited at the UKDA are agreed between the UKDA and the data depositor at the time of deposit, using the licence agreement. This agreement is a contractually binding legal document. Similarly, when materials are requested from the UKDA all users agree to an End User Licence whereby the user undertakes to abide by all conditions stipulated in the agreement. This must be completed before any materials are supplied to any user. It is the combination of these contractual agreements that ensures copyright infringement does not occur.
If I pay for data to be created, but not by an employee, can I retain copyright?Yes. You will need to formulate an agreement with the person commissioned to create the data, stating that copyright is to be assigned to you.
Why does the UKDA consent form request that research participants grant copyright to the researcher?There are two reasons for asking research participants for copyright to be transferred to the researcher. First, it gives the researcher the right to publish extracts based on the words of a participant (e.g. interview or diary extract) without needing to return to the participant each time to obtain permission for publishing. Second, it allows the researcher to authorise a third party such as the UKDA to make copies of digital materials for the purpose of digital preservation. See UKDA information on consent forms.
Who holds the rights in a database structure and content?Database rights were introduced in 1996 (Directive 96/9/EC on the legal protection of databases and Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997) exclusively to protect databases. If the directive applies, the owner can prevent unauthorised extraction or reutilisation of all or a substantial part of the contents. The rights last for 15 years and can be renewed. This may pose problems for those wishing to re-use data for research purposes but the 'fair dealing' exception (which is restricted to extraction) by a 'lawful' user allows illustration for non-commercial teaching or research. Substantial is also not clearly defined. If in doubt about sharing your database please contact ESDS acquisitions in the first instance.
Some
journals ask authors to make available the data used for a publication. How do
I comply with this?
Some journals require authors to submit data alongside a publication so that
the published results can be replicated by others. Note that data obtained from
the UKDA/ESDS, including subsets and derived data, cannot be submitted to
journals alongside publications, as this would be a breach of the End User
Licence (EUL) that users agree to when they register. However, In most cases it
is sufficient for the author of the publication to supply information to the
journal about how an individual can register and access the data. The
Help desk can provide the wording if necessary.
In addition, for derived data there are a number of options available including:
- the author can supply the syntax used to the journal
- the author can offer the data to the UKDA/ESDS - it is a requirement of the EUL that any derived data be offered for deposit - see Depositing data
- the author can request that anyone wishing to replicate the results should apply to the author
- before passing on the data, it is essential for the author to first check with the UKDA/ESDS that any applicant is a registered user and also entitled to access the data
Formats
The data resulting from my research are in proprietary software (e.g. transcripts in N-Vivo). How do I archive them?The UKDA has a preservation strategy which ideally archives data in a non-proprietary open format, so they are software and hardware independent. This enables wider use, easier access and guarantees long-term preservation of archived data. If your data cannot be converted to a standard non-proprietary format, we cannot guarantee their long-term accessibility. An example might be if you have N-Vivo or Atlas-ti files, which are held within a proprietary fixed format which is not totally exportable. These project-based files would be acceptable as long as you also kept the raw data files in MS-Word, RTF or plain text formats. See data formats and software for examples of acceptable data formats.
My research was carried out abroad and my data are not in English. Can they be archived at UKDA?The UKDA does not exclusively archive English language data. However we cannot guarantee to verify and quality control these data to the same standards as English language data. The accompanying documentation will make this clear to data users. Ideally the data would be accompanied by an English summary and English documentation and metadata explaining the material in detail.
Data I collected are summary notes of focus group discussions. Are these worth archiving?Summary data are less likely to be accepted by the UKDA because of their more limited re-use potential. However, the self-archiving system UKDA-store might be an alternative. If you are funded by the ESRC or the British Academy then all data must be offered to UKDA for deposit, regardless of what format they are in.
The data resulting from my research are audio-visual recordings of interviews and focus groups and a collection of artefacts. Can these be archived?The UKDA judges each data offer on a case-by-case basis. Whilst it is preferable for research purposes that interviews and focus group discussions are transcribed (as it makes re-use of such data much easier), at times audio-visual materials are archived too. Paper-based artefacts, such as photos, postcards, family trees, could possibly be digitised. The UKDA will discuss this with you when you offer the data and you should not assume a priori that there will be data the UKDA does not want.
See also:
