Research data management refers to how you will look after the data you collect or generate during your research. It covers activities such as:

  • planning for your data management needs at the start of your project
  • organising, storing, and securing data during your project
  • ensuring long-term preservation, data sharing and reuse at the end of your project

Data management is increasingly recognised as an essential part of good research practice. Effective data management ensures that data is findable, accessible, and reusable and is vital for research integrity, transparency, and open science.

Many funders and publishers now expect data that supports published findings or has potential for reuse in future research to be made publicly available, with as few restrictions as possible whenever legal and ethical restrictions allow.

The Library has developed the Research Data Management site where you can find all the support you will need at every stage of your research.

There are also courses that will provide you with the basic skills and understanding to take care of your data properly:

You should also be aware that you cannot move into collecting data if you have not yet gain ethical approval for your research.

To find out whether your research requires ethical approval review the following resources and discuss it with your Supervisor(s):