Research Common

Research data management "refers to the processes applied through the lifecycle of a research project to guide the collection, documentation, storage, sharing, and preservation of research data." Read more...

Good research data management practices help protect against data loss, help you comply with funder and publisher policies, and can increase the visibility of your work. Here are some resources to get you started thinking about research data management:

Research data management plans "set out how you will organize, store and share your research data at each stage in your project." Read more...

Here are some resources to help you create a research data management plan:

The Sensitive Data Expert Group of the Portage Network has create a suite of tools for Canadian researchers. These tools have been created to help researchers understand how research data is involved in the research ethics process, and to address the evolution of research data management (RDM) practices such as data sharing and deposit in the context of existing research ethics frameworks.

One aspect of ethical research that requires particular attention is secure storage of data. If your data is in paper or some other physical format, the Research Ethics Board recommends that you keep it in a locked file cabinet in a locked office or other secure location. If your data is digital, the Research Ethics Board recommends that you store it on a password-protected and/or encrypted drive or USB stick.

Following are some resources to get you started if you've never password-protected a USB stick: