RDIM Overview

Step 1: Plan

Create a RDMP (Research Data Management Plan) to establish a link between your research project and the research data.

The RDMP:

• Assists you to plan and manage your research data and information
• Helps reduce the risk of data loss and unauthorised use by addressing storage and ethical or legal issues
• Helps satisfy requirements of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the JCU Code.
• Is required by most funders, including the Australian Research Council (ARC).

Consider:

• Whether you will be collaborating with (external) partners and require a contract or agreement to be developed; e.g. confidentiality agreements.
• Whether you will be dealing with personal information and/or sensitive data which will require ethical review.
• How you will ensure your data meets the FAIR Principles.

Before you begin your project.

Note that:

• ARC requires a RDMP to be completed prior to commencement of the project to meet its funding requirements.
• HDR Candidates are required to start a RDMP and have it reviewed by their Primary Advisor prior to Confirmation of Candidature.
• The RDMP is a living document that can be added to and refined as you progress through your research project.

The Researcher is responsible for completing.

The Data Manager is responsible for reviewing and monitoring completion.

The Data Custodian needs to be aware of research projects being conducted.

Step 2: Manage

Manage your research data and information.

Managing your data well will ultimately save you time and resources. At the very least, it will prevent errors and increase the quality of your analysis.

You may find the DIKW Model useful to help understand the transformation of data into information and finally wisdom.

Step 3: Archive

Create a Data Record to document information about the data used to reach your findings.

This is a non-public metadata record that includes:

• The location details of your completed (not active) data. Small datasets (<100 MB) can be stored as attachments.
• Documentation necessary to understand or reproduce your research, e.g. survey questions, codebooks and R scripts.

You need to ensure your research data is stored safely and securely in JCU compliant facilities. Having a Data Record ensures you are easily able to find this data.

Having a Data Record:

• Ensures you are easily able to find this data.
• Helps satisfy requirements of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the JCU Code.
• Is required to enable you to create a Data Publication.

Consider:

• Any copyright, intellectual property or moral rights issues that may arise.
• How you will gain consent if required, including de-identifying data and issues concerning triangulation of data.
• The retention requirements for your research data as well as the best data repositories and storage options.

During Project, e.g. for data chapters, or Post Project.

The Researcher is responsible for completing.

The Data Manager is responsible for reviewing and monitoring completion.

The Data Custodian needs to be aware of research projects being conducted.

Step 4: Publish

Create a Data Publication to make your research data available and establish the conditions for access and reuse of your data.

This is a public metadata record that contains information about your datasets.

Metadata-only records may also be created, e.g. when access to data is restricted or data is held in another trusted repository.

• Data Publications are harvested by the Australian Research Data Commons, Google Datasearch, JCU's Research Portfolio and other systems.
• This increases the visibility of your work and could attract future collaboration and funding opportunities - additionally, many funders and journals require data sharing.
• Helps satisfy requirements of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the JCU Code.
• Is a prerequisite for Open Science and reproducible research.

Consider:

• What citations, DOIs or licences need to be applied to ensure your data is correctly attributed, cited and reused.
• What access conditions need to be applied for the future use of your research data.

Anytime - Although this activity is generally recognised as being 'post project', you can actually create a Data Publication at any time.

The Researcher is responsible for completing.

The Data Manager is responsible for reviewing and monitoring completion.

The Data Custodian needs to be aware of research projects being conducted.

Step 5: Reuse

Review requests to access research (data and information) assets in accordance with the access conditions that have been applied.

To satisfy requirements of the:

• Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the JCU Code.
• University Sector Retention and Disposal Schedule; and
• Other legislative and institution requirements.

As required.

The Data Manager is responsible for reviewing and approving.

The Data Custodian needs to be aware of the process.

Step 6: Review

Review:

• Custodian roles
• Relevance of the data
• Retention period, and
• Available storage infrastructure.

As required.

The Data Manager is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations.

The Data Custodian is responsible for approving.

Step 7: Dispose

Dispose of research (data and information) assets in accordance with the relevant retention period.

As required.

The Data Manager is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations.

The Data Custodian is responsible for approving.