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Research Data Management: Planning and developing a RDMP

What is a Research Data Management Plan?

 

A Research Data Management Plan (RDMP) is a document which formally records all of your data management decisions.

At UTS the tool used for creating and storing an RDMP is called Stash. Your RDMP is a 'living document' and should be updated whenever plans change or new details need to be recorded. Once you have recreated your RDMP in Stash you can login at any point during your research project to update it. 

The video below shows you how to create an RDMP and explains the different sections of the form.

Managing your data

 

Using Stash to create your RDMP, you be will prompted to think through a range of issues to do with the data you are proposing to collect or use for your research.

  • are you collecting your own data?
  • are you using someone else's data?
  • what are the terms of use/licence agreement?
  • what data are you generating or using?
  • how do you plan to structure and manage your data files?
  • does the data need to be secured or destroyed once the minimum retention period has expired?
  • will you be able to share a version of your data at the end of the project?
  • who can make that decision?  
  • who will be responsible for the stewardship of the data, during and beyond the project?

These are all aspects you required to address in your RDMP.  However, there are some types of data which require additional consideration in managing it.

The tool linked to below asks questions about your project and then highlights some of the issues that may require additional consideration, depending on the type of data you are working with.

Working with different types of data

 

Different units at UTS can assist with advice on appropriate ways to manage your research data.

Research involving humans or animals

Projects involving humans or animals require Ethics approval and further consideration around how you will manage your data.

For example: during the process of gaining informed consent from participants, you will need to outline how you intend to use the data:

  • what data will you be collecting and why?
  • how will you use the data?
  • will it be available for other researchers to use in the future?
  • do you have their consent to publish the data? (an increasing requirement from journal publishers)

Research involving sensitive data

Sensitive data needs to be protected against accidental disclosure so you will need to outline how you will manage this in your RDMP.

For example:

  • deciding the minimum necessary questions to ask participants
  • explaining how the data will be collected, where it will be stored, who will have access to it
  • strategies for de-identifying the data to reduce the risk of disclosure

Research involving Indigenous perspectives and knowledges

If you are working with Indigenous knowledges or data, you will need to consider additional issues around ownership, collection, and management of research data.

For example: 

  • are the right people involved/included in this project from the beginning (Collective benefit)
  • have you consulted sufficiently with the right people
  • setting up a data governance agreement which respects Indigenous sovereignty over the data, approved uses, data preservation, and archiving

Research that is publicly funded

If your research is publicly funded, funding bodies will often have requirements around how you will manage your research data.

For example: you may need to explain how you are complying with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. If you follow the guidance outlined in the UTS RDM Procedure for managing and storing data, and use Stash - you will be complying with requirements.