Research Data Management Toolkit

This guide is designed as an introduction to research data and the management of data for the research community at Bond University.

Research data is increasingly being recognised as a valuable asset and a valid research output. Some journals, particularly in the sciences are starting to require that data be made available to support the research conclusions. Sharing of data is being required as a condition of some research funding and this is likely to increase.

Bond University's Office of Research and the Library are developing resources to help researchers manage their data. If you do not find what you are looking for here, please contact researchdata@bond.edu.au

What is research data?
Research data could be anything that may be needed to validate the results of research. Not only is it the product of research, it could also be the starting point for new research.

Research data could include images, sound/video recordings, artefacts, surveys, questionnaires, interview transcripts, statistical data and analyses, measurements, fieldwork notes.

The ANDS (Australian National Data Service) website provides additional definitions of research data.

The Function of ANDS is to:

• make Australian research data collections more valuable by managing, connecting, enabling discovery and supporting the reuse of this data;
• enable the creation of richer and more accountable research; and
• allow the efficient use of research data.

ANDS is building the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), a cohesive collection of research resources from all research institutions, to make better use of Australia's research outputs.

The ANDS brochure can be found here.

Thank you to Edith Cowan University Library, the University of Western Australia and Monash Universisty Library for some of the ideas used in this Guide.