Research data management (RDM) encompasses the processes and practices applied throughout a research project to guide the collection, documentation, storage, transfer and preservation of research data. Responsible RDM practices ensure that research data is complete, understandable and securely stored.
Visit the Sharing Your Research for additional guidance on sharing your scholarly activity and how the library can help.
The library supports MacEwan University’s Institutional Research Data Management Strategy. We can help you
- Develop a research data management plan
- Document, store and share data in an appropriate data repository
- Learn about best practices for managing research data
Data Management Planning
A Data Management Plan (DMP) is a formal document created at the beginning of a research project to outline how you plan to collect, document, store, and share your data through the lifecycle of a research project.
Creating a DMP is a best practice in data stewardship and can help researchers stay organized and predict resource needs. The inclusion of a DMP is sometimes required by research funding agencies.
Creating a DMP
DMP Assistant
The DMP Assistant is an online tool to help you prepare a research data management plan. Create an account and use the templates to guide you in answering the questions and creating a data management plan.
File Storage Options
OneDrive is the best option to store files for research in progress. The MacEwan Data Repository is available to publish and share data from completed research projects.
The table below provides more information about file storage options available to MacEwan faculty.
| | OneDrive | SharePoint | Google Drive | Workstation, personal computer, external storage | MacEwan Data Repository |
|---|
Best use | Day-to-day working files and research projects in progress | Collaboration with active files | Day-to-day individual work and easy collaboration with students | Not recommended, files are not backed up and are easily lost. Use only for transitory files | Research data from completed projects, data that are ready for publication and sharing.
Embargoed datasets that will eventually be made public |
Information classification level | Restricted, confidential, internal, and public | Restricted, confidential, internal, and public | Confidential, internal, and public | Transitory | Restricted,* public |
Collaboration with other faculty | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Collaboration with students | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Collaboration with external researchers | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Storage space | 1 TB | 1 TB | Under development for faculty | Device dependent | 3 GB per file |
Data stored in Canada | Yes | Yes | No | Device dependent | Yes |
Version control | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
OneDrive
Best Use
Day-to-day working files and research projects in progress
Information Classification Level
Restricted, confidential, internal, and public
Collaboration with other faculty
Yes
Collaboration with students
No
Collaboration with external researchers
Yes
Storage space
1 TB
Data stored in Canada
Yes
Version control
Yes
SharePoint
Best Use
Collaboration with active files
Information Classification Level
Restricted, confidential, internal, and public
Collaboration with other faculty
Yes
Collaboration with students
No
Collaboration with external researchers
Yes
Storage space
1 TB
Data stored in Canada
Yes
Version control
Yes
Google Drive
Best Use
Day-to-day individual work and easy collaboration with students
Information Classification Level
Confidential, internal, and public
Collaboration with other faculty
Yes
Collaboration with students
Yes
Collaboration with external researchers
Yes
Storage space
Under development for faculty
Data stored in Canada
No
Version control
Yes
Workstation, personal computer, external storage
Best Use
Not recommended, files are not backed up and are easily lost. Use only for transitory files.
Information Classification Level
Transitory
Collaboration with other faculty
No
Collaboration with students
No
Collaboration with external researchers
No
Storage space
Device Dependant
Data stored in Canada
Device Dependant
Version control
No
MacEwan Data Repository
Best Use
Research data from completed projects, data that are ready for publication and sharing. Embargoed datasets that will eventually be made public.
Information Classification Level
Restricted,* public
Collaboration with other faculty
Yes
Collaboration with students
Yes
Collaboration with external researchers
Yes
Storage space
3 GB per file
Data stored in Canada
Yes
Version control
Yes
* Access to files in the MacEwan Data Repository can be restricted; however, complete data security cannot be guaranteed. Datasets should not include confidential or sensitive information. It is the responsibility of file creators/depositors to follow best practices for de-identification and ensure they have permission to share before depositing.
This table is based on the Information Storage Solution - Faculty & Staff page found in the MacEwan Help Centre.
MacEwan Data Repository
Depositing data into a recognized data repository can extend the reach of your research and ensure that your data is securely accessible long term. Many journal publishers and granting agencies, including the Tri-Agency, are beginning to require that authors deposit and/or share research data associated with their publications.
The MacEwan University Data Repository supports the storage and sharing of research data resulting from the work of MacEwan faculty, students, and staff. It is hosted on Borealis, a bilingual, multidisciplinary, secure, Canadian research data repository, supported by academic libraries and research institutions across Canada.
How to Deposit
Prior to depositing data in the MacEwan University Data Repository, review the repository terms of use.
Data Deposity Checklist
When depositing data, ensure the following:
- File names: Should be short (under 60 characters) and consistent.
- The following format is recommended: YYYY-MM-DD_ProjectName_DescriptiveFileName_v.1.1 e.g., 2022-12-23_WeatherTrends_AnnualRainAmounts.v.1.1
- Metadata: Provide detailed metadata describing your work in the deposit form to help facilitate discovery of your data.
- Visit the Metadata page by TRU Libraries for some helpful guidance on filling in this information.
- Deidentify data for public use: This data repository is not a secure place to privately store confidential or sensitive information. There is an expectation that data deposited in this repository follows research ethics requirements and can be made publicly available within 2 years of deposit.
- ReadMe File Template
Copy, fill out and save this template as a .txt file and upload a copy along with your data files.
Additional Resources
Other Repository Options
FRDR (Federated Research Data Repository)
- FRDR
FRDR is a secure, Canadian data repository that is intended for large data sets, including individual files that are more than 3 GB and too large for the MacEwan Data Repository.
Discipline-Specific Repositories
- re3data.org
re3data.org is a directory of external, discipline-specific repositories. Consider using a discipline-specific repository if your research area has an established repository for specialized data.
Learn More
Good research data management (RDM) makes research more organized and efficient and ensures research findings are verifiable and reproducible. A well-documented research data management plan keeps the research process on track and prevents ambiguity and data loss.
Research data management encompasses the entire research data lifecycle, including the creation, processing, analysis, preservation, sharing, and reuse of research data.
Research data management can help you:
- Organize and track versions of your data
- Organize and compile information at the end of a project
- Enable others to understand your data
- Reproduce your work, if required
- Share your data with another researcher
- Satisfy grant/journal/research ethics board requirements
Research Data Management Tutorials
The following recommended resources can help you learn more about managing your research data.
Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy
The Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy was released in March 2021 and will have a phased roll-out, eventually, the following requirements will apply to researchers:
- All grant proposals submitted to the agencies should include methodologies that reflect best practices in RDM. For certain funding opportunities, the agencies will require data management plans (DMPs) to be submitted to the appropriate agency at the time of application.
- Grant recipients are required to deposit into a digital repository all digital research data, metadata and code that directly support the research conclusions in journal publications and pre-prints that arise from agency-supported research.
Important Implementation Dates:
- Spring 2022: an initial set of funding opportunities will be subject to the DMP requirement
- March 1, 2023: institutions are required to have institutional strategies for research data management.
The phased introduction of the data deposit requirement has yet to be determined.
Other Relevant Policies and Statements
MacEwan University’s Institutional Research Data Management Strategy
MacEwan’s institutional RDM strategy promotes best practices for research data management and provides a framework for the university to support research data management throughout the research data life cycle.
Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management
Developed by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) this document outlines the expectations for researchers regarding research data management practices.
Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications
Developed by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) this policy is intended to promote open access of Agency-funded research.
SSHRC Research Data Archiving Policy
This policy outlines the expectation that research data resulting from SSHRC-funded projects must be preserved and made available for use by others within 2 years of project completion.
Need Help?
Email digitalscholarship@macewan.ca or contact your subject librarian.
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