Primary tabs
You don't need to be an ALA Member to purchase from the ALA Store, but you'll be asked to create an online account/profile during the checkout to proceed. This Web Account is for both Members and non-Members. Note that your ALA Member discount will be applied at the final step of the checkout process.
If you are Tax-Exempt, please verify that your account is currently set up as exempt before placing your order, as our new fulfillment center will need current documentation. Learn how to verify here.
- Description
- Table of Contents
- About the authors
- Reviews
Read a blog post by one of the authors now! Research Data Management (RDM) has become a professional topic of great importance internationally following changes in scholarship and government policies about the sharing of research data. Exploring Research Data Management provides an accessible introduction and guide to RDM with engaging tasks for the reader to follow and develop their knowledge. Starting by exploring the world of research and the importance and complexity of data in the research process, the book considers how a multi-professional support service can be created. It then examines the decisions that need to be made in designing different types of research data service from local policy creation, training, through to creating a data repository. Coverage includes
- a discussion of the drivers and barriers to RDM;
- institutional policy and making the case for Research Data Services;
- practical data management;
- data literacy and training researchers;
- ethics and research data services; and
- case studies and practical advice from working in a Research Data Service.
List of figures and tables
1. Introducing research data management
Aims
A thought experiment
RDM
Why is RDM important now?
What does the practice of supporting RDM actually involve?
Who is this book for?
About the book
Further reading
2. The social world of research
Aims
Introduction
The research landscape
The organisation of research
The research lifecycle
The experience of research: research and identity
Further reading
3. What are research data?
Aims
Research data are important to (some) researchers
Types of research data
Some definitions of research data
Data collections
Data lifecycles
Research data is complex
Information management and RDM
Further reading
4. Case study of RDM in an environmental engineering science project
Aims
The project
The research method
The data
The challenge of metadata
The need to foster a culture around metadata
Data sharing
Talking to researchers
Further reading
5. RDM: drivers and barriers
Aims
Introduction
E-research
The ‘crisis of reproducibility’
Open science
Government and funder policy
Policy developments
Journal policies
FAIR data principles
Data citation
RDM and the new public management
Drivers and barriers
Barriers
Further reading
6. RDM as a wicked challenge
Aims
Types of problem
The wicked challenge concept
Is RDM wicked?
Leadership in a wicked challenge context
Further reading
7. Research data services
Aims
Research data services (RDS)
Vision, mission, strategy and governance
Stakeholders
Supporting research
Further reading
8. Staffing a research data service
Aims
New activities and roles
Who does what?
The collaborative research data service
New skills and roles
Further reading
9. Requirements gathering for a research data service
Aims
Finding out more about an institution
Surveys
Interviews and focus groups
Further reading
10. Institutional policy and the business case for research data services
Aims
Writing a policy
Developing a policy
Content of a policy
Layout and style
Using and updating the RDM policy
11. Support and advice for RDM
Aims
Offering support and advice
Making the RDS visible
Frequently asked questions
The RDM website
Key challenges for advice and support
12. Practical data management
Aims
Introduction
Personal information management
Risks and risk management
File organisation and naming
Back-ups of active data
Promoting practical data management
Further reading
13. Data management planning
Aims
The data management plan
The benefits of DMPs
The content of a DMP
Reading an example DMP
Common pitfalls
Supporting data management planning
Further reading
14. Advocacy for data management and sharing
Aims
Introduction
Drivers for data sharing
What should researchers do to promote data use and re-use?
Panda talk
Some responses
Changing the culture
Further reading
15. Training researchers and data literacy
Aims
Introduction
Step 1: Who is the training for?
Step 2: What topics need to be covered?
Step 3: Who should deliver the training?
Step 4: How should the training be delivered?
Making and re-using educational resources
Step 5: How is the training to be made engaging?
Step 6: Evaluating training
Getting the right mix
Further reading
16. Infrastructure for research data storage and preservation
Aims
Technical infrastructure
The repository
Selecting data for deposit
Preparing data: metadata and documentation
Preparing data: file formats
Ingest
Providing access to consumers
Further reading
17. Evaluation of RDS
Aims
Introduction
Principles of evaluation
Measuring impact
A balanced scorecard approach
Maturity models
Further reading
18. Ethics and research data services
Aims
An ethical service
Research ethics
Dilemmas for RDS
Ethics in professional relationships
Further reading
19. A day in the life working in an RDS
Aims
RDM in practice
Strategic development
Advocacy, training and support
Repository work
RDM day to day
20. Conclusion: the skills and mindset to succeed in RDM
Aim
Working in RDM
Your career plan and RDM
Keeping up to date
Index
"Cox and Verbaan have produced a work that provides a fantastic starting point for anyone interested or invested in RDM, and one that is extremely well rounded and thoughtful.”
— Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association