<p>Now that you have outlined your data and created a Data Management Plan, it should make collecting and using data much easier during your research project. </p>
You should have identified whether you will need to gain consent for your data at earlier stages, and now it’s important to get and record that consent at the point of data collection or use.
Once these consents are given, you can only share data in the way study participants or third parties have consented. As a result, it’s vital that you inform them of exactly how you intend to use and share their data, and ensure it captures everything you require. They must also have the option to opt out or have data anonymised if they wish.
Make sure you record these consents clearly in your DMP, including the date it was given, the medium it was given in (ideally in writing), and what the consent entails.
When choosing where to store your data, you have multiple options:
Your institution’s local storage solutions, e.g. a network drive for storing data. These may have policies or restrictions, so it’s important to understand these.
Portable storage media e.g. USB sticks. These carry more of a risk of loss or damage so it’s important to weigh this up.
Cloud storage – live digital solutions that facilitate storage, backup, and retrieval of data. Again, these will have specific policies and terms, so ensure these comply with any requirements for your data, including sensitive or personal data.
When organizing your data, it’s important to consider the following things:
Folders – create a clear folder structure to help organize data logically and to support findability. Avoid having too many, which can lead to storing the data in the wrong folder, or too few, which can lead to storing too much data in a single folder. Make sure folders are clearly named, including data type, who generated the data, and when it was generated.
File naming conventions – develop a template for every file name in a way that works for your study. This could be using a date, which enables you to sort them chronologically, or using the researcher’s name, file type, or date range of a piece of work. You can also use a README.txt file to convey this information to others.
Backups – it’s a good rule of thumb to have 2 or 3 copies of your files stored on at least 2 storage media in different locations. Ideally, it should be automated.