Research Data Management

What Is Research Data?

Research data is any information collected or produced during the course of research that can be used to validate original research findings. Data can include numerical information, measurements, recordings, textual documents, physical specimens, and more.

What is Research Data Management?

RDM (Research Data Management) is the management of data used or generated during the research process, with the goal of ensuring that the data is usable by future researchers for further research, analysis, and the validation of completed research.

Good RDM practices:

• Increase research reproducibility
• Increase public trust in research
• Allows for the replication and validation of research
• Enables other researchers to reuse data and avoid research waste
• Helps researchers find, use, and interpret their own data during the research process

The library provides a variety of data services to help you manage your research data. Reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance or questions.

Our data services include

• Consulting on how to write data management and sharing plan
• Reviewing your data management and sharing plan
• Recommending the best repository to share your data in
• Finding data to support a research topic
• Explaining funder/publisher data sharing requirements (such as the NIH DMS policy)
• Recommending tools and resources for research data management
• Answering copyright and licensing information, including what license to use to share your data and understanding how you can use other people's data
• Consultations and customized instruction on research data management and data sharing best practices

Non-Library Services

The library is one of many campus units that support research data management. See the list of ATSU Research Units below for links and more information. The Department of Research Support can provide consultations on the more technical aspects of research data management including assisting with local data storage, data visualization, and data analysis. Sponsored Programs support grant administration and compliance with regard to data sharing.