The Benefits of Research Data Management

Research Data Management (RDM) is an essential part of the research process that can save time & resources in the long run. Learn about its benefits & best practices here.

The Benefits of Research Data Management

Research data management is an essential part of the research process, and it can save time and resources in the long run. Good management helps avoid errors and increases the quality of analysis. Well-managed and accessible data allows others to validate and replicate findings, improving research integrity and validating research results. Accurate and complete research data is also necessary to evaluate and reconstruct the events and processes that lead to them. In some cases, researchers may need to create their own research material because the data used simply doesn't exist.

In this scenario, it's important to plan and conduct experiments in accordance with best practices and policies related to personal safety and security. The processes involved in research data management (RDM) are more complex than simply backing up data to a USB stick or ensuring that sensitive data is kept safe. Data management includes using file naming conventions, organizing files, creating metadata, controlling access to data, backing up data, citing data, and more. Online checklists point to considerations and processes in RDM (see UK Data Services Checklist and DCC Checklist). This means that your data will most likely have a longer lifespan than the duration of your research project. To increase research efficiency, good research data management will allow you to organize your files and data for easy access and analysis.

It also helps newcomers understand the nature and scope of the work done so far, as well as helping individual researchers keep track of their own progress. At the policy level, research data management is also a requirement for many funding boards and must be properly managed to ensure ongoing funding. Your university management should define expectations through an RDM policy, and support staff will provide the services. The staff members of the ETH digital healing office informed him about Switzerland's new open data policies and provided him with a generic template to draw up his data management plan in line with the requirements of the Swiss National Science Foundation. Good management of research data will allow new and innovative research to be built on the basis of existing information. Sharing well-managed research data and allowing others to use it will also help avoid duplication of effort.

As creators and users of research data, researchers are crucial in developing research data management and sharing services. To allow continuity of research through the use of secondary data, good management of research data will allow new and innovative research to be built on the basis of existing information. As creators and users of research data, researchers are crucial in developing research data management and sharing services. Overall, if you manage your data well and adhere to the policies and frameworks you need to comply with, you could increase debate and the potential for new queries in your field. Data management is an example of how public research sponsors and research institutions are implementing “open science”, the push to make scientific research and data freely accessible. As long as scientists and researchers are aware of their responsibilities in managing data, not only for their own good but also for others, science will have more tools to progress further. Managing research data is an integral part of the research process, so it's important to be aware of best practices when it comes to storage, management, publication, archiving, sharing, reproducibility, online access, security, safety, transparency, funding requirements, open science policies, file naming conventions, metadata creation, access control, backup procedures, citing practices, etc.