The document outlines the importance of research data management (RDM) for researchers, emphasizing the direct benefits such as enhanced data integrity, sustainability, and collaboration opportunities. It discusses the public good obligations of openly sharing publicly funded research data and highlights compliance with required regulations and policies. Challenges for researchers in adopting RDM practices are also identified, alongside strategies for effectively communicating the importance of RDM to various disciplinary audiences.

1. Advocacy
May-15
Learning material produced by RDMRose
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jects/rdmrose
Research Data Management
Workshop 3.2

2. Open data?
• How to persuade researchers to take an
interest in RDM?
• We need to empathise
– What are their main drivers and barriers?
– What services can we offer that they would find
useful and relevant?
• Is this a good way to get their attention?
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2zK3sAtr-
4&feature=youtu.be
May-15
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/pro
jects/rdmrose

3. Incentive 1: Direct benefits to
researchers
• It reduces the risk of data loss by keeping data safe and secure
• It increases the quality and reliability of the research data by
– applying good record-keeping standards to data capture (including in lab and
field electronic notebooks), which enables academics to draw conclusions
from reliable and trustworthy working research data
– ensuring it remains accurate, authentic, reliable and complete throughout its
lifetime
• Improve the efficiency of the research process by
– keeping duplication of effort to a minimum by re-using existing data
– making sure you and your team can easily find and interpret your project’s
data
– enabling large amounts of data to be analysed and developed across different
locations by maintaining consistency in working practices and interpretations
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

4. Incentive 1: Direct benefits to
researchers
• It provides sustainability by ensuring that
– There is continuity in the project even when project staffing changes
– valuable knowledge and data originating from short-term research projects
does not become obsolete or inaccessible when funding expires
• It ensures that research results may be validated and therefore enhances the
integrity of your work.
• It facilitates the sharing and re-use of data, allowing datasets to be combined in
new and innovative ways, producing new insights in future research.
• It enhances the visibility of your research data and may increase the citation count
for your publications based on these data (by up to 69%).
• It may provide future opportunities for collaboration with other researchers.
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

5. Incentive 2: ‘Public good’ obligations
• RCUK Common Principles on Data Policy:
“Publicly funded research data are a public good,
produced in the public interest, which should be
made openly available with as few restrictions as
possible in a timely and responsible manner that
does not harm intellectual property.”
• Demonstrate Return on Investment
• Open Access / Open Research / Science as an
open enterprise
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

6. Incentive 3: Compliance reasons
• Compliance with funding body requirements
• Legal and regulatory requirements
• Publishers’ requirements
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

7. Some issues for researchers
• Don’t relate to the term
“data”
• The nature of data
• How important is it relative
to doing the research;
projects only get short term
funding
• Is infrastructure available?
• Lack of RDM knowledge and
skills
• No checking of compliance
• Legal, ethical and
commercial motives
• Desire to keep control over
data
• Informal sharing practices
already exist
• Lack of re-use culture
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

8. Good research practice
Open access
Other priorities
Nature of data
Lack of RDM knowledge
& skills
Legal, ethical & commercial
exceptions
Good
Research Data
Management
practices
Academic culture & lack
of reuse culture
Force field analysis of RDM
May-15
Data preservation
Data storage and security
Compliance
The strengths of these forces differ in different contexts

9. What should “data communication” be
like?
• Accessible – can be found
• Intelligible – must be understandable to other
researchers
• Assessable – potential to be evaluated
• Usable – should be in form for reuse
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

10. What is data sharing?
• With future self
• With collaborators
• With collaborators
beyond the institution
• By request
• Linked to a publication
• Open data in a
respository
• Link to “open access”
agenda?
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15

11. How would you go about talking to
researchers about RDM?
• You are planning conversation with different researchers from a
range of disciplines
• You want to find out what the awareness of the RDM policy is
(institution and funders), what training on RDM to offer (storage,
data management plans, information security, documenting
research, citation, data sharing, funders requirements), and
persuade the researcher to take an active interest in RDM
• Use the researcher role cards on your table and plan the
conversations:
– To what drivers may the researcher be responsive?
– What issues are a concern?
– What services could you offer that would be the most relevant?
– How would you approach the conversation?
Learning material produced by RDMRose
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects/rdmrose
May-15