Research Data Management

Before you start

Before you start your research data management planning process, you should familiarise yourself with the following documents:

• USC Research - Academic Policy
• USC Research Data and Materials - Procedure
• USC Cloud Storage Quick Guide (USC login required)
• USC Research Data and Materials Management Plan

Plan your project data requirements

Consider the following questions when planning for your project data requirements:

• Where will you store your data?
• What volume of data will you be generating?
• What form will the data be in?
• Do you need a particular tool or software to use the data?
• Who is responsible for the management of the data?
• Does the data need to be securely stored for confidentiality?
• Who is going to need access to the data?
• What are you going to do with the data in the future?
• If you wish to share your data, do you need appropriate ethics clearances before you begin?
• Who owns the data?
• What retention and destruction strategy is in place for your data?

Use the documents listed above to help guide you through this planning process.

Complete a USC Research Data Materials and Management Plan

If you are planning on collecting any research data, is it now a requirement that you complete a USC Research Data Materials and Management Plan before you commence your research.  The Research Data Materials and Management Plan has been developed based on best practice principles and once completed, should be a part of your research documentation and updated as required.  A copy should also be stored with the research data.

• Externally funded research projects - submit the completed plan along with the Grant Cover Sheet and application to the Grants and Consultancies team in the Office of Research.

• All other research projects - submit the completed plan to the USC Research Data Registry at research-repository@usc.edu.au

   

NOTE: If you are applying for an ARC Discovery or Linkage grant, changes to the application form now require you to provide an outline of your data managment plan.  The outline should describe your plans for the management of data produced as a result of the proposed research, including but not limited to storage, access and reuse arrangements. 

More information can be found on the ANDS Guide to Filling in the Data Management Section in ARC Grant Applications.

Apply for data storage

Depending on the type of data you are planning on collecting, you may need to apply for data storage.  

Please use the desicion point matrix and view the benefits and limitations of each storage option before applying for storage.

If you require ResearchVS (R Drive) data storage, complete the relevant section in the Research Data Management Plan.  

Update your Plan annually

On an annual basis, you will be sent a reminder from the USC Research Data Registry team to review and update your USC Research Data Materials and Management Plan if necessary.  If there are any changes to your plan, simply complete a new one and send it to research-repsoitory@usc.edu.au.  The details will be updated in the USC Research Data Registry.

Concluding your project

At the conclusion of your project you will be required to examine the data that has been collected, and decide what needs to be kept for archiving purposes.   The Research Data Materials and Management Plan will need to be revised for a final time and the record will be updated in the USC Research Data Registry.

If you wish to share your data, a record will also be published in the USC Research Bank, so that it appears alongside your publications, and also on Research Data Australia to allow reuse, citation and collaboration with other researchers nationally and internationally.