1. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Funded by: The Digital Curation Lifecycle Model Joy Davidson and Sarah Jones Digital Curation Centre, Glasgow joy.davidson@glasgow.ac.uk sarah.jones@glasgow.ac.uk

2. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 “the active management and appraisal of data over the lifecycle of scholarly and scientific interest” Data have importance as the evidential base of scholarly conclusions Curation is part of good research practice What is data curation?

3. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Why curate: requirements Code of good research conduct data should be preserved and accessible for 10 years + Funders’ data policies www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy -and-legal/funders-data-policies declaration data are a public good and should be openly available Common principles on data policy www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/Pages/ DataPolicy.aspx

4. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Why curate: rewards More citations: 69% ↑ (Piwowar, 2007 in PLoS) Prevent data loss New research opportunities and collaborations Easier to do your work… Validation of results

5. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 DCC curation lifecycle model Activities to cover are: data management planning creating data metadata & documentation selecting what to keep

6. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Key questions: What data will be created? How much storage is needed? Are there ethical issues that require consent? How can you help researchers develop appropriate plans? n.b. many funders expect data management & sharing plans Conceptualise: planning what to do

7. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Guidance: Decisions made early on may limit what is possible later Make sure researchers are aware of the support available (from colleagues, university, data centres etc) Encourage discussion to help people find the best approach

8. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Data Management and Sharing Plans Funders typically want a short statement covering: What data will be created? (format, types, volume) What standards and methodologies will you use? (incl. metadata) How will you manage ethics and Intellectual Property? What are the plans for data sharing and access? What is the strategy for long-term preservation? DMP guidance: www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/data-management-planswww.dcc.ac.uk/resources/data-management-plans DMP online: http://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/http://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/

9. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 A web-based tool to help researchers write plans It features: Templates based on different requirements Tailored guidance (disciplinary, funder etc) Customised exports to a variety of formats Ability to share DMPs with others https://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk What is DMP Online?

10. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 You can customise it for your uni Select desired questions Add your logo, colours, URL… www.dcc.ac.uk/blog/tailoring-dmp-online-for-your-institution Profile local support

11. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Key questions: What formats are most appropriate to use? How will researchers create their data? -standards & methodologies to use -file naming and version control -quality control & assurance How will ethical concerns be addressed to protect participants? Creating / collecting data

12. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Guidance Data could be expensive or impossible to recapture so make sure it’s sustainable. Different formats are good for different things: one may be used for analysis then convert data to another for preservation Take time to develop processes at the start – it pays off later! Excellent guidance on creating data & managing ethics in: www.data-archive.ac.uk/media/2894/managingsharing.pdf

13. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Provide guidance & raise awareness

14. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Key questions: What information do users need to understand the data? - descriptions of all variables / fields and their values - code labels, classification schema, abbreviations list - information about the project and data creators - tips on usage e.g. exceptions, quirks, questionable results How will this be captured? Are there standards that can be used? Metadata & documentation

15. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Guidance: Create metadata at the time – it’s hard to do later Develop processes so everyone does the same Use standards for interoperability

16. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Key questions: What has to be kept? (published data, of long-term value ) What has to be destroyed? (e.g. personal data) Is it worth keeping the data? – cost/benefits Where will the data be kept? Appraise: select what needs to be kept

17. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Guidance: Check funder expectations, licences and consent agreements Provide advice and guidance to help researchers decide Remember, storage is not the only cost in data management! Check out the DCC How to guide www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/how-guides/appraise-select-data

18. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Criteria for appraisal decisions 1.Relevance to mission 2.Scientific, social, cultural, historical value 3.Uniqueness 4.Potential for redistribution 5.Non-replicability 6.Economic case 7.Full documentation

19. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Good data management is about making informed decisions

20. http://xkcd.com/949

21. Because good research needs good data The DCC lifecycle model, Exeter Uni, 19 May 2012 Any questions? For DCC guidance, tools and case studies see: www.dcc.ac.uk/resources Follow us on twitter @digitalcuration and #ukdcc