‘The recorded factual material commonly accepted in the scientific/research community as necessary to validate research findings’ EPSRC
It can exist in a variety formats: print, digital & types: statistics; experimental data; interview records…
…Essentially the building-blocks underpinning your work, study & research.
Research Data Policy
In accordance with the recommendations of RCUK, the University expects researchers to:
- Deposit the underlying data in Pure as a dataset (institutional repository)
- Keep clear and accurate records of research procedures followed and results obtained
- Hold records securely in paper or electronic form
- Make relevant primary data and research evidence accessible for others (norm of 10 years) (through pure and arkivum)
- Manage data according to research funder’s data policy, best ethical practice and adhering to all relevant legislation
- The University considers it to be good practice to deposit all research data where possible in Pure
- A persistent identifier (e.g., DOI), should be used to link any research outputs related to publications and projects
- Research articles that are derived from funded research must contain a data statement indicating both the location of any supporting research data and the level of “openness” to that data
- Some publishers now require that this information is contained in the article prior to accepting the article for publication (e.g., PLOS) – you should check the data sharing policy of any intended journal before you submit for an article for publication
- Data Journals – focus specifically on the dataset rather than the research article; the University of Edinburgh maintains a list of data journals.
