Category Archives: Research Data Management

Managing your data during a pandemic

We’re all embracing our new co-workers

The world as we know it has changed, and it seems unlikely that we will be returning to what we previously considered “normal” for some time.

While you’re working from home during this period you might feel as though conducting your research is harder, or even impossible. However, you now plenty of time to get on top of managing your research data! Here are some top tips from the Library Research Support Team:

Four Golden Rules of Data Management

To celebrate Love Data Week (10-14 February 2020), we are launching a series of videos titled “Four Golden Rules of Data Management”. These short videos look at examples of data management gone wrong which have hit the headlines and make recommendations for how these disasters could have been avoided.

In the first video, we look at the problems encountered by the Venice Time Machine project, and the importance of writing a data management plan.

Stay tuned for more videos in the series!

Data Without Borders

Our new lunchtime Data Seminar series continues later this month with Data Without Borders, Thursday 30th January, 12.30 – 13.30.

We have three researchers with a breadth of experience in managing data in collaborative environments, both cross-institutionally and internationally, who will draw upon their own experiences to offer an engaging insight into the challenges collaborative projects can create for managing research data, and how they overcame them.

There will be plenty of advice for those of you who are currently engaged with or thinking about embarking on a collaborative research project, so please do join us! Feel free to bring your lunch, and as always we’ll provide some sweet treats too.

We’re pleased to announce the programme:

John Oates (WELS)

Drawing on his wealth of experience working with vulnerable research participants, John will discuss the ethics of working with research data, particularly in a collaborative environment.

Olga Jurasz (FBL)

Olga will talk about her experiences working cross-institutionally, both within the UK and internationally and the challenges this has produced.

Craig Walker (FASS)

Craig’s talk will focus on a project looking at building peace between vulnerable and marginalised groups in conflict, and the issues involved in working in sensitive environments.

Visit EventBrite to book your place

Data Triumphs and Disasters!

We’re so excited about our first Data Seminar, taking place next Thursday 14th November, 12.30-13.30.

We’ve got a great line-up from the Library, RES and FASS telling real-life stories of how data management has gone wrong and right. You’re welcome to bring your lunch along and we’ll provide some sweet treats too.

We’re pleased to announce the programme:

12.30: 4 Golden Rules of Data Management – Maxine Borton and Isabel Chadwick (Library)

Maxine and Isabel will use examples of data management gone wrong which have hit the headlines to deliver 4 golden rules to help you avoid data loss.

12.45 I am a Humanist, get me out of here! – Francesca Benatti (FASS)

Reflecting on her experiences as a PhD student, Francesca will give a personal take on how she’s learned to manage her research data effectively.

13.00 Technologies, Data Management and Specialist Archives – Muriel Swijghuisen Reigersberg (RES)

Muriel will talk about her experiences of depositing her audiovisual data in a specialist data archive, and give tips on how to avoid making the mistakes she unfortunately encountered.

13.15 Questions and discussion

Visit Eventbrite to book your place.

We are the (Data) Champions!

The Library Research Support team are pleased to announce the launch of our new Data Champions programme, with the first of our Data Champions forums being held in the Library last week. 

This forum was an opportunity for us to meet our Champions and for them to get to know each other, as well as to find out more about what the programme entails. 

The Data Champions programme has been set up as a way of promoting OU Research Data Management (RDM) services and tools within faculties and to provide more discipline-specific data management advice and support.  

As part of this programme, our Data Champions have been asked to contribute to the development and delivery of a data-focussed seminar series across the coming year; and planning for our first session has already begun in earnest. 

Our 13 Data Champions offer representation across every faculty and bring with them a range of experiences of managing diverse data types, from highly sensitive interview data to archival materials and the re-use of third-party data. After hearing more about the programme (and a bit of themed cake!), our Champions made an enthusiastic start, sharing their data management experiences and producing a whole host of fantastic ideas to theme our future seminars around.   

Keep your eyes open for updates on our first seminar!

Online training – Research Data Management

Over the coming months we will be running a series of online bitesize training sessions on various aspects of research data management. These are open to all OU research staff and postgraduate researchers.

Please follow the links below for further information and joining instructions.
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