About
What is research data management?
Research data management is the process of organizing, documenting, storing, and preserving the data collected for research. Data in the context of research can be described as the outcome of experiments that validate research results. Research data can take many forms, including images, qualitative data (such as unstructured, text-based data), quantitative data (such as structured, numerical-based data), and recordings.
Why manage research data?
Managing research data benefits researchers and their teams in the following ways:
- Allows all members of research team to understand where they are in the research process
- Provides consistent methods for data collection, analysis, and preservation
- Assists in meeting funder requirements for data management and sharing policies
- Helps to make research processes transparent to mitigate the effects of the reproducibility crisis
Who is developing this website?
Research Data Services was developed by the Committee on Research Data Management and Sharing. The committee is charged by the Office of the Provost to coordinate research data resources across campus and develop recommendations for future services that support better research data practices. It consists of representatives of divisional data services, IT Services, the Library, the Research Computing Center, and URA and is chaired by the Dean of the Library. The Library hosts the website.
As the committee embarks on its charge, we invite the University community to share ideas as to how UChicago can enhance its support for research data management and sharing. This input will help the committee to make the complex challenge of managing research data easier and reduce the burden of compliance with funder mandates.
Please email datasharing@uchicago.edu with your insights or with data support questions.